Your airport is constantly sending signals about demand, access, and opportunity. Future Partners AI now connects four powerful air service datasets—giving DMOs a remarkably clear view of the markets shaping their destination. To show what’s possible, we built an Air Service Intelligence Report for a real destination we’ll call Real Example Destination (RED)—a major hub airport serving the American West.
Can you guess which airport it is? The clues are all here.
Source: TSA Checkpoint Throughput
TSA data tracks daily passenger screenings at airport security checkpoints—a real-time pulse on airport activity.
The insight: RED has fully recovered from the pandemic and is now running 3% above 2019 levels. Activity peaked in July 2024 at nearly 77,000 daily screenings. The airport shows clear seasonality: July is the busiest month (summer travel peaks), while January and February are softer (post-holiday lull).
How does this compare to official reports? The airport’s own data shows 82.4 million total passengers in 2025—about 226,000 per day. Our TSA figure of ~65,000 daily screenings represents roughly 29% of that total, which is exactly what we’d expect: TSA counts only departing passengers clearing security, while the official figure includes arrivals, departures, and connecting passengers who don’t re-clear. The datasets measure different things—and they align perfectly.
Strategic implication: Shoulder-season marketing (April, September-October) could capture incremental visitors when capacity is available but demand is softer.
Getting any ideas about which airport this might be?
Source: DOT Origin & Destination Survey (2024)
The O&D survey reveals where domestic air travelers originate, what they pay, and how far ahead they book.
The insight: RED draws from a remarkably diverse national footprint. The top 10 markets account for only 30% of traffic—no single market dominates. Phoenix and Las Vegas lead (regional neighbors), but major metros from every region appear.
Fare signals: Boston ($230) and Washington Dulles ($254) travelers pay the highest fares—suggesting business travel or less price-sensitive leisure visitors. Minneapolis ($121) and Salt Lake City ($129) are the most affordable routes.
Strategic implication: This is a destination with national reach. Marketing can be deployed broadly, but the highest-fare markets (Northeast corridor) may warrant premium positioning.
The insight: Nearly half of travelers book 1-3 months ahead, and they get the best fares. Last-minute bookers (under 3 weeks) pay a 44% premium—likely a mix of business travelers and spontaneous leisure.
Strategic implication: Campaign timing matters. For leisure conversion, messaging should land 6-12 weeks before the travel window. Last-minute deals may capture incremental visitors, but the core audience plans ahead.
Source: NTTO International Arrivals (2024-2025)
NTTO tracks overseas visitors arriving in the United States by their first intended destination.
The insight: The UK and Germany together account for 35% of overseas arrivals—a European-heavy mix that aligns with the destination’s outdoor appeal. Colombia (+14%) and Italy (+8%) are the fastest-growing markets. Japan is declining sharply (-13%).
Official data confirms: The airport reports that international passengers reached 4.9 million in 2025 (5.9% of total traffic), up 4.8% from 2024. International is a small but growing segment.
Note: These figures exclude Canada, which is not available at the state level in NTTO data. Canada is likely a significant source market given proximity and direct air service.
Strategic implication: European markets (UK, Germany, France, Netherlands, Switzerland) should remain the international priority. Colombia’s growth suggests an emerging Latin American opportunity worth monitoring.
The European skew and outdoor appeal… narrowing it down?
Source: BTS T-100 Segment Data
T-100 data reveals what airlines are actually flying—seats offered, passengers carried, and routes added or cut.
Overall capacity (2024-2025):
Routes with the biggest capacity gains (2024→2025):
Routes with the biggest capacity cuts:
The insight: Airlines are shifting capacity from hub-to-hub routes toward secondary markets. The biggest gains are to Washington Dulles, Burbank, and Boston—plus a 54% surge to Eagle County (ski country). Meanwhile, capacity to Minneapolis, Las Vegas, and Chicago Midway is being pulled back.
Official data confirms: The airport recorded 705,469 aircraft operations in 2025—about 1,930 flights per day—ranking fourth worldwide for aircraft movements.
Strategic implication: The Dulles and Boston gains suggest East Coast business and leisure demand is growing. The Eagle County surge reflects strong ski-season interest. Route development conversations should focus on markets where demand is outpacing supply.
This is where it gets interesting. TSA, O&D, NTTO, and T-100 tell you how many people are moving through an airport. But only SATS can tell you who they are—their passions, their lifestyles, their spending power. We compared RED airport users against all other air travelers (excluding RED users from the comparison group) to see what makes this audience distinctive.
The Outdoor Adventure Profile
The insight: RED travelers are outdoor enthusiasts. They over-index dramatically on hiking (+12 points) and skiing (+5 points)—and they’re significantly more interested in international travel than other air travelers. This is an adventurous, globally curious audience.
Diversity & Inclusion
The insight: RED airport users are more diverse than the average air traveler population. LGBTQIA+ representation is nearly 25% higher than among other air travelers—a meaningful signal for inclusive marketing and partnership strategies.
Family Travel
The insight: RED travelers are slightly less likely to be traveling with school-aged children than other air travelers. This isn’t a family-first audience—it skews toward couples, solo travelers, and adult groups.
Airline Loyalty — The Hub Effect
The insight: The United hub effect is massive—RED travelers are nearly twice as likely to have flown United as other air travelers. Southwest also dramatically over-indexes, reflecting its strong presence at this airport. American and Delta are at parity with the national air traveler base.
Official data confirms: The airport reports that United holds 50.3% market share at RED—almost exactly matching our SATS finding of 52% usage among RED travelers. The data validates.
Affluence Signal
The insight: RED travelers are slightly more likely to hold an American Express card—a modest but consistent affluence signal that aligns with the higher-fare Northeast markets and international travel interest.
Putting it all together, the RED airport user is:
This is a premium, experience-seeking audience that values adventure, authenticity, and exploration. Marketing to this traveler should emphasize unique experiences, outdoor access, and global connectivity—not just price.
We cross-referenced our analysis against the airport’s official reports. The data aligns:
Our TSA, O&D, NTTO, and T-100 data tell the same story the airport tells—but SATS adds the dimension official reports can’t: who these travelers are and what they care about.
By now you’ve probably figured it out. The clues were all there:
Think you know? Drop us a line and tell us your guess.
This is what Future Partners AI can build for your destination—in minutes, not weeks.
Ask anything:
Four datasets. One connected view. Your next opportunity may already be on the departure board.
Data Sources & Methodology
Important notes:
The State of the American Traveler
Base: January–June 2026, American Travelers who used RED airport vs. all other air travelers.
