Quantcast

Airlines earn minimal profit per passenger amid rising revenues

American Halts CRJ-200 Operations
Shanghai Airlines to Launch Casablanca Route
Delta employees to receive an average five weeks of pay in annual profit sharing
Akasa Air faces DGCA heat for lapses; warning letter issued to airline's accountable manager
Engine maker agrees to compensate WizzAir for grounded planes
Turkish Airlines’ flights are riddled with bedbugs, passengers say
British Airways frequent flyers react to Executive Club changes
Inside the short-lived, men-only flights where kids and women were banned but cigar and pipe smoking were rife
China steps up drive to break Boeing, Airbus grip on plane market
Heathrow’s New York service clings to spot in top aviation routes
Airline praises pilots in crash-landing where both died but nearly half the passengers survived
Mexico state airline to buy five Embraer planes next year
A record number of people are expected to fly over the holidays. That's good for travel stocks, but not for passengers.
American Airlines technical issue sparks travel chaos on Christmas Eve as flights heavily delayed after being grounded
Why United Airlines has had such a stellar year despite being Boeing's biggest customer
JetBlue nixing routes between multiple major cities, reducing several others
Airline Stocks Led The Travel Industry's Record 2024 Rally. Here's What's Next.
It’s beginning to look like another record for holiday travel
Qatar Airways cleans up at the World Travel Awards
All of the strikes at European airports this winter – find out if you are affected
Meet the CEO trying to turn around Air India, the 92-year-old airline with a pile of problems
Skiplagging: Unpacking the Risky Travel Trend That Involves Tricking Airlines
Qantas engineers walk off job on one of the busiest travel days of the year
South Korea to safeguard competition after Korean Air, Asiana merger
China Southern returns to Adelaide
Global Airline Industry Revenues Forecast To Top $1 Trillion For First Time In 2025
EasyJet to launch six new routes from the UK next year with £24 flights
Here's Why Analysts Say It's a Good Time to Buy Airline Stocks
A No-Frills Airline Is Getting Into the Premium Game
TAKING OFF: Major airline introduces new inflight service rules with less time to order your drinks
Airlines earn minimal profit per passenger amid rising revenues
Policy
Webp received 1879165362622158
International Air Transport Association | Official Website

In 2025, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) expects a global net profit for the airline industry of $36.6 billion, translating to a 3.6% profit margin. The operating profit is anticipated to be $67.5 billion.

Airlines are expected to earn minimal profits per passenger. Middle Eastern carriers are projected to make $23.90 in net profit per passenger in 2025. Globally, IATA estimates an average profit of $7.00 per passenger for the same year.

Regional variations exist in airline profitability:

Get the Newsletter
Sign-up to receive weekly round up of news from Sky Industry News
By submitting, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. By providing your phone number you are opting in and consenting to receive recurring SMS/MMS messages, including automated texts, to that number from our short code. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help, STOP to end. SMS opt-in will not be sold, rented, or shared.

Region Profit per Passenger (2024) Profit per Passenger (2025)
Middle East $23.10 $23.90
North America $10.30 $11.80
Europe $8.20 $9.20
Latin America $3.20 $3.80
Asia Pacific $1.80 $1.80
Africa 90¢ $1.00
Global industry average: $6.40 $7.00
"North America continues to be the most significant contributor to industry profits, supported by a high passenger load factor, robust yields, and strong consumer spending despite cost-of-living pressure," IATA reported via Forbes.

Boeing's last profitable year was in 2018 when it earned $19 billion. Since then, it has faced losses due to various crises including the MAX crisis and COVID-19 pandemic impacts on supply chains.

"...the global economy counts on air cargo to deliver the $8 trillion of trade that gets to customers by air,” said Willie Walsh.

Organizations Included in this History
More News

United Airlines has addressed the issue that caused the airline to disable its new Starlink Wi-Fi systems on regional jets last month.

Jul 17, 2025

Imagine spending $2,500 or more on a business-class ticket only to find out that selecting your seat comes with an extra charge.

Jul 17, 2025

FedEx Corp. has announced that Sriram Krishnasamy is stepping down from his roles as executive vice president, chief digital and information officer, and chief transformation officer.

Jul 17, 2025

Taking place on July 19 and 20 in Portsmouth, Emirates Airline will be present at the Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix offering a variety of experiences.

Jul 17, 2025

Hyatt has introduced a new feature to enhance the experience of booking award nights on its website.

Jul 17, 2025

Delta Air Lines has announced an expansion of its partnership with Uber, providing select Delta Amex cardmembers with complimentary Uber One memberships.

Jul 17, 2025