US jet fuel consumption is taking off as airlines bring their older, less-efficient planes back into service to meet rebounding travel demand -- and the trend could continue into the summer season, according to government and industry statistics.

Kerosene-type jet fuel demand is up more than 4.1 percent at 1.64 million barrels per day in the past four weeks compared with last year, marking the fastest demand growth for any US fuel, according to the most recent government data.

"The obvious answer is that this is a sign of recovery in terms of traffic in the aviation industry over the last couple of years," said Mike Burdette, an analyst with the Energy Information Administration.

Overall US petroleum product growth is just 1 percent. Of that distillates -- of which jet fuel is one -- is 3.5 percent, according to the data from the EIA.

Burdette said many airlines that had taken old planes out of service when travel demand dropped following the September 11, 2001, hijack attacks in the United States have probably returned these less-efficient planes into their active fleets.

According to EIA monthly data, demand for jet fuel in March was 1.6 million barrels per day, up 3.5 percent over March 2004, according to Burdette.

EIA estimates for April showed a 2.8 percent increase over the previous year, which corresponds to a similar increase in air travel demand.

The Air Transport Association reported a 3.1 increase in revenue passenger miles in April. A revenue passenger mile is defined as one fare-paying passenger transported one mile.

The ATA is expecting approximately 200 million passengers to travel on US airlines this summer, about 4.1 percent more than in the period from Memorial Day to Labor Day in 2004, enticed by ticket prices at 1980's levels.