Geneva – Global air passenger demand experienced a 5% increase in May 2025 compared to the same period last year, according to data released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The Asia-Pacific region demonstrated the strongest growth, with a 9.4% surge in demand. This overall growth reflects a positive trend in air travel, despite some regional disparities and ongoing geopolitical concerns.
While the Asia-Pacific region spearheaded the global increase, North America reported a 0.5% decline in passenger demand, primarily driven by a 1.7% decrease in the US domestic market. Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General, noted the uneven nature of air travel demand growth and highlighted the impact of geopolitical instability. Disruptions in the Middle East in late June served as a reminder of the challenges posed by such instability, although airlines have maintained safe operations with minimal passenger inconvenience. The potential impact of these events on oil prices is also being closely monitored.
International Revenue Passenger Kilometers (RPK) saw a 6.7% year-on-year increase in May. While most regions experienced growth, load factors showed a mixed performance, increasing by a modest 0.2 percentage points. Traffic expansion on key international routes to the Americas slowed, with the exception of transatlantic routes, which saw a 2.5% year-on-year increase. The strongest performing region, Asia-Pacific airlines, recorded a 13.3% increase in demand, with capacity increasing by 10.6% and load factor reaching 84.0%, a 2.0 percentage point increase compared to May 2024.
European carriers reported a 4.1% increase in demand, with capacity increasing by 4.8%. The load factor for European airlines was 84.0%, a 0.6 percentage point decrease compared to May 2024. North American carriers saw a 1.4% increase in demand, with capacity increasing by 1.7%. Their load factor was 83.8%, a 0.3 percentage point decrease. Middle Eastern carriers experienced a 6.2% increase in demand, with capacity increasing by 6.3%. The load factor was 80.9%, a 0.1 percentage point decrease.
Latin American airlines saw an 8.8% increase in demand, while capacity climbed 11.0%. The load factor was 83.6%, a 1.7 percentage point decrease. African airlines reported a 9.5% increase in demand, with capacity up 6.2%. The load factor was 74.9%, a 2.2 percentage point increase. Notably, the Africa-Asia corridor is the fastest-growing international route, experiencing a 15.9% expansion.
Domestic RPK increased by 2.1% compared to May 2024, while the load factor fell by 0.5 percentage points to 83.7%, driven by a 2.8% capacity expansion. All regions except the United States showed growth in domestic travel, with the US experiencing a decline attributed to economic slowdown and reductions in government travel. Chinese domestic travel growth has accelerated consistently since March, while Brazil has demonstrated strong growth, with unbroken expansion since January 2023. Walsh emphasized that consumer confidence appears strong, with forward bookings for the peak Northern summer travel season indicating a positive outlook.
