Delta Air Lines Carried the Most Passengers Globally in 2013

According to an annual IATA report, Delta is the top airline in the world based on scheduled passengers carried.

The 58th annual edition of the World Air Transport Statistics (WATS) ranked Delta Air Lines as the number one carrier in terms of total international and domestic scheduled passengers carried in 2013. The report, which was published Tuesday by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), contains detailed statistics and analysis of the airline industry.

According to the WATS, Delta had 120.6 million scheduled passengers carried in 2013. Southwest Airlines took second place with 115.3 million. United Airlines came in fourth place with 90.2 million, trailing just behind China Southern Airlines, which carried 91.5 million. American Airlines rounded out the top five with 86.8 million.

American Airlines, which became the world’s largest airline by traffic following its merger with US Airways, was ranked separately from US Airways in the report. Statistics used for the WATSrankings were compiled by the IATA and based on figures reported by the airlines.

Ultimately, the title of “world’s largest airline” may be a matter of which yardstick is being used to measure. For example, the WATS ranked United as the top carrier based on total scheduled passenger-kilometers flown internationally and domestically, while Delta ranked second when viewed through the same criteria.

[Photo: Delta Air Lines]