load factor

noun

: the percentage of available seats paid for and occupied in an aircraft

Examples of load factor in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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According to a February report by the International Air Transport Association, global air travel set a new benchmark for January with a record load factor—the percentage of available seats an airline sells on its flights—of 82.1 percent. Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025 Alaska Air's quarterly results flew past expectations with impressive load factors and revenue per available seat mile, despite the turbulence created by volatile fuel prices and changing travel regulations. Robert Daugherty, Forbes.com, 17 May 2025 The airline says this equals its highest load factor ever achieved. Michael Goldstein, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025 According to a February report from the International Air Transport Association, the airline load factor—the percentage of available seats that are filled—hit a record 82.1 percent in January, the highest ever recorded for that month. Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for load factor

Word History

First Known Use

1943, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of load factor was in 1943

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Cite this Entry

“Load factor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/load%20factor. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

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