Global air passenger demand reaches new heights in post-pandemic recovery

Looking ahead to 2025, Walsh noted an expected moderated growth rate of about 8%, aligning more closely with historical averages. He emphasized the need for continued safety efforts following a recent accident in Washington and reiterated airlines' commitment to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Walsh pointed out that less than 0.5% of fuel needs were met with Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) in 2024 due to limited supply and high costs: "Governments could fortify their national energy security and unblock this problem by prioritizing renewable fuel production from which SAF is derived."

The report also detailed regional performance: Asia-Pacific led international traffic growth at a rate of 26%, while European carriers saw an increase of nearly 10%. North American carriers reported a rise of almost seven percent.

In domestic markets, China stood out with a significant increase of over twelve percent in RPKs from the previous year.