Most popular flights out of 20 major airports
Lukas Gojda // Shutterstock
Most popular flights out of 20 major airports
After a year of pandemic-induced isolation in the U.S., air travel began to pick up again in 2021. Many people traveled for work, while others cooped up at home decided to go on a much-needed vacation.
Last year, 674 million passengers flew on U.S. airlines, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. While that number seems like a big one—it’s 83% more than the year before—it still remains below pre-pandemic levels.
To shed more light on the state of travel in the U.S., luggage storage app Bounce examined flight data from the Department of Transportation to find the most popular destinations from major U.S. airports in 2021, the latest information available. The data only includes domestic flights, as reported by U.S. airlines. In the event of a tie, the most popular location in 2020 was used.
Unsurprisingly, the most popular destinations were warm-weather spots like Los Angeles and Orlando; however, there are a few surprises on the list, as well.
As the country continues to emerge from the lingering pandemic, new travel trends have also emerged. Corporate travel—which made up a large portion of air and hotel spending—has made a slow rebound. Business travel is unlikely to return to pre-pandemic levels this year, according to a 2022 Deloitte outlook report.
The age of travelers may also be shifting. Travelers over age 55, who were projected to be a large share of travelers before the pandemic, are now less likely than 18-34 year olds to take a trip, the report also found. This continues the trend in 2021, when 18-34 years took an average of 2.7 trips. This was higher compared to 35-54 year olds (2.4 average trips) and those 55 years and older (1.7 average trips).
JW_PNW // Shutterstock
Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC)
- Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
- Top destination: Denver, Colorado
- Travelers in 2021: 690,690
Luggage Storage in DC
Find the most convenient luggage storage in Washington DC can provide with insurance options and 24/7 customer support.
Keith J Finks // Shutterstock
General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport (BOS)
- Location: Boston, Massachusetts
- Top destination: Orlando, Florida
- Travelers in 2021: 594,460
Thomas Barrat / Shutterstock
Detroit Metro Wayne County (DTW)
- Location: Detroit, Michigan
- Top destination: Atlanta, Georgia
- Travelers in 2021: 682,330
JW_PNW // Shutterstock
Minneapolis-St. Paul International/Wold-Chamberlain Field (MSP)
- Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Top destination: Phoenix, Arizona
- Travelers in 2021: 641,880
JHVEPhoto // Shutterstock
San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
- Location: San Francisco, California
- Top destination: Los Angeles, California
- Travelers in 2021: 795,540
EQRoy // Shutterstock
Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
- Location: Newark, New Jersey
- Top destination: Orlando, Florida
- Travelers in 2021: 971,460
Markus Mainka // Shutterstock
Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport (FLL)
- Location: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Top destination: Atlanta, Georgia
- Travelers in 2021: 1.1 million
Pit Stock // Shutterstock
John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
- Location: Queens, New York
- Top destination: Los Angeles, California
- Travelers in 2021: 1.1 million
New York's Secure Bag Storage
Find luggage storage in New York City with just a few clicks and keep your belongings safe while you explore the Big Apple.
Arina P Habich // Shutterstock
George Bush Intercontinental/Houston Airport (IAH)
- Location: Houston, Texas
- Top destination: Denver, Colorado
- Travelers in 2021: 741,410
EQRoy // Shutterstock
Miami International Airport (MIA)
- Location: Miami, Florida
- Top destination: New York, New York
- Travelers in 2021: 917,830
Enjoy Miami Baggage Free
Locate secure luggage storage in Miami, and travel with confidence using an all-in-one luggage storage app.
EQRoy // Shutterstock
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
- Location: Seattle, Washington
- Top destination: Anchorage, Alaska
- Travelers in 2021: 844,500
Joni Hanebutt // Shutterstock
Orlando International Airport (MCO)
- Location: Orlando, Florida
- Top destination: Atlanta, Georgia
- Travelers in 2021: 1.1 million
Markus Mainka // Shutterstock
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
- Location: Phoenix, Arizona
- Top destination: Denver, Colorado
- Travelers in 2021: 1 million
Kit Leong // Shutterstock
Harry Reid International Airport (LAS)
- Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
- Top destination: Los Angeles, California
- Travelers in 2021: 923,540
Mihai_Andritoiu // Shutterstock
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)
- Location: Charlotte, North Carolina
- Top destination: Orlando, Florida
- Travelers in 2021: 614,650
Phillip B. Espinasse // Shutterstock
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
- Location: Los Angeles, California
- Top destination: New York, New York
- Travelers in 2021: 1.1 million
Instantly Reserve LA Bag Storage
Access the best luggage storage in Los Angeles has to offer and reserve the nearest location at affordable rates.
Tupungato // Shutterstock
Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD)
- Location: Chicago, Illinois
- Top destination: Los Angeles, California
- Travelers in 2021: 948,890
Arina P Habich // Shutterstock
Denver International Airport (DEN)
- Location: Denver, Colorado
- Top destination: Phoenix, Arizona
- Travelers in 2021: 1.0 million
Denver's Secure Bag Storage
Find luggage storage in Denver with just a few clicks and keep your belongings safe while you explore Colorado.
max.ku // Shutterstock
Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
- Location: Fort Worth, Texas
- Top destination: Los Angeles, California
- Travelers in 2021: 992,140
ESB Professional // Shutterstock
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
- Location: Atlanta, Georgia
- Top destination: Orlando, Florida
- Travelers in 2021: 1.1 million
