The strong economy is helping all major US airlines.

United Airlines recorded a 7.5 percent year-over-year increase in traffic in October – including a 17.3 percent spike in transatlantic "revenue passenger miles," the measure airlines use to gauge traffic.

All major U.S. airlines have seen big growth thanks to a booming economy, Seth Kaplan, editor of Airline Weekly, said. And Houston is actually a driver of increased domestic traffic.

"That's still very much about international travel," he said. "Because that additional capacity from elsewhere in Texas or elsewhere in the U.S. into Houston then feeds the international flights and makes those flights stronger."

Houston's Bush Intercontinental Airport is one of United's major hubs. It was also the home of Continental Airlines before that company merged with United, whose headquarters are in Chicago.

Subscribe to Today in Houston Fill out the form below to subscribe our new daily editorial newsletter from the HPM Newsroom. Email* First Name Last Name * required