The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released its full-year and December 2025 global air passenger market performance data, revealing that passenger demand reached historic highs despite persistent supply chain challenges affecting airlines worldwide.
Global passenger demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPKs), rose by 5.3 percent in 2025 compared with the previous year.
Capacity, measured in available seat kilometers (ASKs), increased by 5.2 percent.
This resulted in an average passenger load factor (PLF) of 83.6 percent — the highest ever recorded for a full calendar year and a 0.1 percentage point improvement over 2024.
International travel drove the strongest growth, with demand rising by 7.1 percent year-on-year and capacity expanding by 6.8 percent. The international load factor reached a record 83.5 percent, up 0.2 percentage points.
Domestic markets posted more moderate gains. Passenger demand increased by 2.4 percent, capacity grew by 2.5 percent, and the load factor averaged 83.7 percent, representing a slight 0.1 percentage point decline from the previous year.
Strong Finish
December 2025 capped the year on a strong note, with overall passenger demand increasing by 5.6 percent compared with December 2024.
Capacity expanded by 5.9 percent, while the load factor stood at 83.7 percent, reflecting sustained travel momentum during the peak holiday season.
Regional International Market Highlights
Asia-Pacific airlines recorded the fastest international growth, with traffic up 10.9 percent and capacity increasing by 10.2 percent.
The region achieved the highest load factor globally at 84.4 percent.
European carriers saw demand rise by 6.0 percent and capacity by 5.9 percent, with load factors edging up to 84.1 percent.
Middle Eastern airlines reported demand growth of 6.7 percent and improved load factors, reaching 81.6 percent.
Latin American airlines achieved strong demand growth of 8.6 percent; however, capacity rose faster at 10.2 percent, leading to a 1.2 percentage point decline in load factor.
African carriers posted 7.8 percent demand growth and the largest load factor improvement globally, climbing to a regional record of 74.9 percent. North American airlines recorded the slowest international growth at 2.1 percent.
In domestic markets, Brazil led global performance with an 11.1 percent increase in passenger demand.
The United States domestic market contracted slightly by 0.6 percent, while India maintained the world’s highest domestic load factor at 85.2 percent despite a modest decline in traffic.
Industry Outlook
IATA Director General Willie Walsh said 2025 marked a return to historical growth trends following the post-pandemic rebound.
He highlighted two major ongoing challenges for the aviation sector: decarbonization and persistent supply chain constraints.
“2025 saw demand for air travel grow by 5.3 percent, with international demand growing by 7.1 percent and domestic demand by 2.4 percent,” Walsh said.
“This aligns industry growth with long-term historical patterns after the strong post-COVID recovery.”
On sustainability, Walsh called on governments to introduce supportive fiscal policies to accelerate the production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).
He stressed that scaling SAF is critical to maintaining long-term industry growth while meeting environmental obligations.
Supply Chain Constraints and Operational Impact
Supply chain disruptions remained the most significant operational challenge in 2025. Delays in aircraft and engine deliveries, maintenance bottlenecks, and rising costs were estimated to exceed 11 billion dollars across the industry.
Airlines responded by extending aircraft service lives and maximizing seat occupancy, pushing load factors close to 84 percent — a temporary solution rather than a sustainable fix.
Looking Ahead to 2026
Walsh expressed optimism that 2025 represents the low point of the supply chain crisis, with expectations of improvement in 2026.
He noted that the delivery of new aircraft would support quieter, cleaner fleets, increased capacity, and expanded connectivity for passengers worldwide.
IATA’s latest data underscores the resilience of the global aviation sector as it adapts to record demand while navigating structural limitations. These pressures are expected to continue influencing airfares, service availability, and environmental progress in the coming years.
