In March, the number of people flying on U.S. airlines rose by 2.4% to 62.4 million from 60.8 million a year ago, according to a statistics report by the U.S. Bureau of Transportation that came out Thursday.

Numbers remain below 67.5 million, the peak of 2008 but top the 60 million witnessed in March 2004 as the industry recovered from the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

The March numbers following the 9/11 attacks fell close to 9% from the prior year to 53.7 million.

Source: Market Watch