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News / Passenger demand growth accelerates to 10% in January
International travel continues to drive recovery
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for January 2025 global passenger demand with the following highlights:
- Total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK), was up 10.0% compared to January 2024. Total capacity, measured in available seat kilometers (ASK), was up 7.1% year-on-year. The January load factor was 82.1% (+2.2 ppt compared to January 2024), an all-time high for January.
- International demand rose 12.4% compared to January 2024. Capacity was up 8.7% year-on-year, and the load factor was 82.6% (+2.7 ppt compared to January 2024), an all-time high for January.
- Domestic demand rose 6.1% compared to January 2024. Capacity was up 4.5% year-on-year. The load factor was 81.2% (+1.2 ppt compared to January 2024), an all-time high for January.
Air passenger market in detail
| January 2025 (% year-on-year) | World Share1 | RPK | ASK | PLF(%-PT)2 | PLF(Level)3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Market | 100% | 10.0% | 7.1% | +2.2% | 82.1% |
| Africa | 2.2% | 15.0% | 11.5% | +2.3% | 75.9% |
| Asia Pacific | 33.5% | 16.1% | 11.6% | +3.3% | 84.2% |
| Europe | 26.7% | 7.4% | 5.3% | +1.5% | 79.8% |
| Latin America | 5.3% | 7.9% | 9.9% | -1.5% | 83.3% |
| Middle East | 9.4% | 9.6% | 4.3% | +4.0% | 83.9% |
| North America | 22.9% | 3.4% | 2.1% | +1.0% | 80.5% |
1) % of industry RPKs in 2024 2) Year-on-year change in load factor 3) Load Factor Level
Regional breakdown - International passenger markets
All regions showed growth for international passenger markets in January 2025 compared to January 2024, with Asia-Pacific demand particularly strong. All markets except Europe and North America showed strong acceleration in January compared to December 2024. Load factors rose year-on-year in all markets except Latin America.
Asia-Pacific airlines achieved a 21.8% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity increased 16.5% year-on-year and the load factor was 86.7% (+3.8 ppt compared to January 2024). Traffic from Northeast Asia was particularly strong.
European carriers had an 8.6% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity increased 6.2% year-on-year, and the load factor was 79.2% (+1.8 ppt compared to January 2024).
Middle Eastern carriers saw an 9.6% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity increased 4.4% year-on-year and the load factor was 83.8% (+4.0 ppt compared to January 2024). Results in this region have been underpinned by a gradual return of traffic in Israel, and strong performance of the Gulf carriers.
North American carriers saw a 3.8% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity increased 0.6% year-on-year, and the load factor was 81.8% (+2.6 ppt compared to January 2024).
Latin American airlines saw an 12.9% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity climbed 15.5% year-on-year. The load factor was 84.3% (-1.9 ppt compared to January 2024).
African airlines saw a 14.9% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity was up 11.2% year-on-year. The load factor rose to 75.9% (+2.4 ppt compared to January 2024).
Domestic passenger markets
Domestic RPK increased 6.1% over the previous year, reflecting particularly strong growth in India (despite engine issues for some carriers), Japan and China. China’s growth of 10.0% was driven by record numbers traveling for the Lunar New Year. Load factors continued to edge up (+1.2ppt) to hit a record high of 81.2% for January.
| January 2025 (% year-on-year) | World Share1 | RPK | ASK | PLF(%-PT)2 | PLF(LEVEL)3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic | 38.2% | 6.1% | 4.5% | +1.2% | 81.2% |
| Domestic Australia | 0.8% | 4.7% | -2.0% | +5.0% | 77.4% |
| Domestic Brazil | 1.1% | 6.6% | 6.9% | -0.3% | 83.0% |
| Domestic China P.R. | 11.3% | 10.0% | 5.7% | +3.3% | 83.3% |
| Domestic India | 1.6% | 17.1% | 17.2% | -0.1% | 88.9% |
| Domestic Japan | 1.0% | 12.1% | 6.1% | +3.9% | 73.8% |
| Domestic US | 14.4% | 3.0% | 2.6% | +0.3% | 79.6% |
1) % of industry RPKs in 2024 2) year-on-year change in load factor 3) Load Factor Level
Note: the six domestic passenger markets for which broken-down data are available account for approximately 30.4% of global total RPKs and 79.1% of total domestic RPKs.
View the January 2025 Air Passenger Market Analysis (pdf).
- IATA (International Air Transport Association) represents some 340 airlines comprising over 80% of global air traffic.
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- Statistics compiled by IATA Economics using direct airline reporting complemented by estimates, including the use of FlightRadar24 data provided under license.
- All figures are provisional and represent total reporting at time of publication plus estimates for missing data. Historic figures are subject to revision.
- Domestic RPKs accounted for about 38.2% of the total market in 2024. The six domestic markets in this report account for 30.4% of global RPKs.
- Explanation of measurement terms:
- RPK: Revenue Passenger Kilometers measures actual passenger traffic
- ASK: Available Seat Kilometers measures available passenger capacity
- PLF: Passenger Load Factor is % of ASKs used.
- IATA statistics cover international and domestic scheduled air traffic for IATA member and non-member airlines.
- Total passenger traffic market shares by region of carriers for 2024 in terms of RPK are: Asia-Pacific 33.5%, Europe 26.7%, North America 22.9%, Middle East 9.4%, Latin America 5.3%, and Africa 2.2%.
