Business, finance and operations

Load factor

  • Business, finance and operations

Definition

How full a vehicle, vessel or flight is compared with its total capacity.

Example

A ferry carrying 180 cars with space for 200 has a load factor of 90%.

For your role

Choose your role to see what this term means in your work.

Why it matters

Running closer to capacity usually improves profitability in transport.

Where it is used

Shipping, airline and logistics performance reports.

How to calculate it

Capacity used ÷ total capacity × 100

Worked example

A ferry carrying 180 cars with space for 200 has a load factor of 90%.