Revenue

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2024

Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]

REVENUE

REVENUE

Passenger Revenues

The Company’s contracts with its Customers primarily consist of its tickets sold, which are initially deferred as Air traffic liability. Passenger revenue associated with tickets is recognized when the performance obligation to the Customer is satisfied, which is primarily when travel is provided.

Revenue is categorized by revenue source as the Company believes it best depicts the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flow. The following table provides the components of Passenger revenue recognized for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023:

	Three months ended March 31,
(in millions)	2024		2023
Passenger non-loyalty	$	4,680	$	4,082
Passenger loyalty - air transportation	799		825
Passenger ancillary sold separately	233		198
Total passenger revenues	$	5,712	$	5,105

As of March 31, 2024, and December 31, 2023, the components of Air traffic liability, including contract liabilities based on tickets sold and unused flight credits available to the Customer, both of which are net of recorded breakage, and loyalty points available for redemption, within the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet were as follows:

	Balance as of
(in millions)	March 31, 2024		December 31, 2023
Air traffic liability - passenger travel and ancillary passenger services	$	4,407	$	3,363
Air traffic liability - loyalty program	4,987		4,916
Total Air traffic liability	$	9,394	$	8,279

The balance in Air traffic liability - passenger travel and ancillary passenger services also includes flight credits not currently associated with a ticket that can be applied by Customers towards the purchase of future travel. These flight credits are typically created as a result of a prior ticket cancellation or exchange, and are reflected net of associated breakage. Rollforwards of the Company's Air traffic liability - loyalty program for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023 were as follows:

	Three months ended March 31,
(in millions)	2024		2023
Air traffic liability - loyalty program - beginning balance	$	4,916	$	5,189
Amounts deferred associated with points awarded	893		846
Revenue recognized from points redeemed - Passenger	(799)		(825)
Revenue recognized from points redeemed - Other	(23)		(20)
Air traffic liability - loyalty program - ending balance	$	4,987	$	5,190

Air traffic liability includes consideration received for ticket and loyalty related performance obligations which have not been satisfied as of a given date. Rollforwards of the amounts included in Air traffic liability as of March 31, 2024 and 2023 were as follows:

	Three months ended March 31,
(in millions)	2024		2023
Air traffic liability - beginning balance	$	8,279	$	8,250
Current period sales (a)	6,850		6,072
Revenue from amounts included in contract liability opening balances	(2,557)		(2,568)
Revenue from current period sales	(3,178)		(2,557)
Air traffic liability - ending balance	$	9,394	$	9,197

(a)Current period sales includes passenger travel, ancillary services, flight loyalty, and partner loyalty

Under the Company's policy, flight credits never expire. However, as the Company believes that a portion of Customer flight credits issued will not be redeemed, it estimates and records breakage associated with such amounts. The amount of Customer flight credits represents approximately 6 percent and 8 percent of the total Air traffic liability balance as of March 31, 2024, and December 31, 2023, respectively.

The Company recognized revenue related to the marketing, advertising, and other travel-related benefits of the revenue associated with various loyalty partner agreements including, but not limited to, its co-branded credit card agreement with Chase Bank USA, N.A, within Other operating revenues. For the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, the Company recognized $542 million and $521 million, respectively.