bsagator

I did that cheap HKG flight from ORD last week, as a mileage run/mini vacation. I've never seen so many empty seats on multiple flights. I know February is slow, but I've never seen an ATL-MCO flight empty.



Tuesday 2/7
MCO-JFK Went out with 3 empty seats in F, after NonRevs were cleared. I would say total load was 60%-70%

JFK-ORD Only flight without empty seat in F. Probably 70% load.

Wednesday 2/8
ORD-SEA On Alaska, 90% load.
SEA-HKG Probably around 85% load.

Monday 2/13
HKG-SEA Load was around 25% if I had to guess. I was jealous of those in Y who had all 4 middle seats to themselves while I was in bulkhead Y+ without a neighbor.
SEA-ORD On Alaska, looked to be oversold.
ORD-ATL MD88, 3-4 empty in F. Maybe 20 people total in Y. Load factor probably less than 20%.
ATL-MCO A321. Person at gate was asking to change seat. Gate agent said not to worry, there are 140 empty seats on the flight. That means a load factor of 27%.

Cory6188

I know that a sample size of n=<10 flights doesn't exactly make for a trend, but to add one more to the list, my BDL-ATL flight tonight was probably only 65% full, at best; whereas otherwise, I can't remember the last time I saw an open seat on the route.

WidgetKid

I've noticed this as well. I just flew BMI-ATL and there were probably 30 people on a CR9. My return appears to have about 30 people as well on a 717. I imagine this is just the sweet spot right now between winter vacation and spring break, but I don't really know.

suvayanr

Maybe people taking off the week from travel for Valentine's Day?

xliioper

Spring break travel season starts ramping up this week with President's Day weekend (a traditional mid-winter break for many school's in the north). We're still at the tail-end of the post-holiday's travel lull.

KDCAflyer

Too bad I'm not chasing status anymore. This is prime MR time.

Youngmiler

I noticed it two weeks ago that my flights were pretty empty as well (less than 50% load)

rucksack

Just correcting that for you.

hauteboy

Supposedly international bookings to the US are way down for some reason...

rucksack

Hmmm, I wonder why that could be?

Well they're way down from 7 countries at least.

But now we're getting into OMNI territory.

flyerCO

Heck, even international flights on international airlines have been slow. I understand how QR could be offering J RT US-SIN for 1.7k now. I had entire back cabin to self on 777 and A350 both ways. Recent CX flight to US had 1 in F, maybe 15 in J and less then 25% in Y.

readywhenyouare

Interesting, although in my experience MCO-JFK is about the easiest upgrade in the system. I've never not been upgraded even as a silver. Most of the time a couple of NRSA will even clear onto F on that flight. It makes up for the horrific odds on MCO-SLC/LAX unless it's a Saturday. SLC is very peculiar.

WhiskeyBravo

This. ^

GBobon

I flew delta in august last year, DL4 JFK-FRA, and there were no more than 50ppl in Y, B764

acrophobia

On 2/13, I flew JFK-SLC-PDX. Both flights were nearly half empty, but F was sold out. I ended up #4 and #2 on the upgrade list, respectively, as a Diamond with reserve card.