IATA: Global Air Passenger Demand Reached Record Highs in 2025
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released full-year and December 2025 passenger market performance data, revealing record-high demand levels across the globe.
In 2025, total passenger demand (RPK) increased by 5.3% compared to 2024. Total capacity (ASK) rose by 5.2%, while the passenger load factor (PLF) reached an all-time high of 83.6%.
Growth in International and Domestic Traffic
According to IATA data, international passenger demand grew by 7.1% in 2025, with capacity increasing by 6.8%. The international load factor was recorded at 83.5%. In domestic markets, demand rose by 2.4%, with an average load factor of 83.7%.
The strong performance continued through the final month of the year, with total demand in December 2025 rising 5.6% year-on-year and capacity growing by 5.9%.
Emphasis on Supply Chain and Sustainability
IATA Director General Willie Walsh stated that 2025 was a year of both achievements and challenges for the industry. Walsh emphasized that decarbonization and the production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) are critical to ensuring the sustainable growth of the aviation sector.
Identifying supply chain issues as the primary operational hurdle, Walsh shared that delays in new aircraft and engine deliveries, along with maintenance capacity constraints, created additional costs exceeding $11 billion for airlines. It was noted that airlines had to keep older aircraft in service longer and increase seat occupancy to meet the high demand.
Regional Performance Highlights
- Asia-Pacific: Became the fastest-growing region in international traffic with a 10.9% increase.
- Europe: Annual traffic rose by 6.0%, with a strong growth of 8.4% recorded in December.
- Middle East: Demand increased by 6.7%, and the regional load factor reached 81.6%.
- Latin America: Noted for an 8.6% rise in traffic, with Brazil achieving the highest domestic growth rate at 11.1%.
- Africa: Broke its own record with a 7.8% increase and demonstrated the strongest growth in load factor.
- North America: Reported the slowest growth rate at 2.1%, while a slight contraction of 0.6% was observed in the U.S. domestic market.
