Quantcast

Passenger numbers grow as international demand surges

Routes & Networks Latest: Rolling Daily Updates (W/C Sept. 22, 2025)
First new Qantas Airbus jets come with one toilet for every 90 economy passengers – worse than Jetstar, Scoot and Ryanair
Breeze Airways becomes the first new US flag carrier in a decade — just as rival Spirit fights its 2nd bankruptcy
Airport runway close calls spur hopes for wider adoption of cockpit alert technology
Family sues American Airlines over deadly crash near National Airport
United Airlines briefly grounds all flights in US, Canada for second time in 2 months
2025 Air Canada flight attendants strike
Spirit Airlines preparing to furlough one-third of its flight attendants
‘Hypocrisy’ and ‘blackmail’: Ryanair’s feud with Spain
Exclusive: Turkey's surprise Air Europa deal came down to one key thing: control
Major airline launches exciting new route from Scotland to popular US location
Airlines fear carbon tax as flagship climate scheme develops holes
Ryanair scraps three Vienna routes, demands lower taxes and fees
Turkish Airlines has no intention of raising stake in Spain's Air Europa, chairman says
US lawmakers want Trump to reinstate delay compensation plan for air travelers
IATA pushes to raise international pilot retirement age to 67
US orders Delta and Aeromexico to dissolve their partnership over fairness concerns in Mexico
Southwest’s New Wheelchair Policy Will Require Passengers to Remove 1 Item Before Boarding — What to Know
Aviation expansion: IndiGo to start direct Mumbai-Copenhagen flights from Oct 8; marks entry into Nordics - The Times of India
Major change for ALL Aer Lingus passengers flying from busy airport to offer 'modern and streamlined' experience
Southwest Airlines adds Sonoma County in California expansion - The Points Guy
Routes & Networks Latest: Rolling Daily Updates (W/C Sept. 8, 2025)
Delta Sees Record Premium Seats in '26, Main Cabin Flat or Down
Southwest requiring removal of batteries from mobility devices before boarding
Qantas’ milestone move for huge, new planes
EasyJet to launch 11 new flight routes from small UK airport named the best in Europe
Tycoon unveils £25 billion rival Heathrow expansion plan
Boeing and Airbus ground green plane projects
50 New Routes Launching In September 2025
JetBlue's Network Shake-Up: Its Top 10 Routes This Month
Passenger numbers grow as international demand surges
Research
Webp 6t26ofgkhlejd7xvxygmurcv2fk4
Marie Owens Thomsen Senior Vice President Sustainability & Chief Economist | International Air Transport Association - IATA

Total demand in April 2025, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK), increased by 8.0% compared to the same month last year. Capacity, measured in available seat kilometers (ASK), rose by 6.5% year-on-year, with a load factor of 83.6%, marking an increase of 1.1 percentage points from April 2024.

International travel demand saw a significant rise of 10.8% compared to April 2024, with capacity up by 8.5% and a record load factor for April at 84.1%. Domestic demand also grew by 3.3%, with capacity increasing by 3.1% and a load factor of 82.7%.

Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General, commented on the growth: “April was a positive month for travel. Growth strengthened, especially for international demand which saw record load factors for the month." He noted the encouraging return of growth in the transatlantic market but pointed out some concerns: "There are some signs of fragility of consumer and business confidence with continued weakness in the US domestic market and a sharp fall in North American premium class travel."

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.

Walsh highlighted India's domestic growth during the IATA Annual General Meeting in New Delhi: “As we gather in New Delhi, India for the 81st IATA Annual General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit, it is notable that Indian domestic growth is running at over 10%. The development of India’s air connectivity in recent years has been nothing short of phenomenal.”

Regionally, Africa experienced a resurgence with RPK growth at 14.2%, while Asia Pacific airlines reported a robust increase of 10.6%. Europe saw an RPK rise of 8.3%, Latin America increased by 10.9%, and Middle Eastern carriers had an RPK boost of 11.3%. North America showed modest growth at just 1.6%.

In terms of international markets, all regions recorded increases except Latin America where there was a slight decrease in load factors despite overall RPK growth.

Domestically, markets like Brazil and India expanded significantly with double-digit RPK increases while the US market contracted slightly for the third consecutive month.

The detailed breakdown shows varying performances across different regions and highlights areas where further attention may be needed to sustain or enhance growth.

Organizations Included in this History
More News

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced that its Wings of Change Europe (WOCE) event will take place at the Steigenberger Icon Wiltcher's Hotel in Brussels.

Oct 23, 2025

Delta Air Lines has announced a new partnership with Crunchyroll, the global anime streaming platform, to bring a curated selection of anime content to its flights.

Oct 23, 2025

Delta Air Lines has been recognized as one of the 2025 Fortune Best Workplaces for Women, marking its return to the list since 2019.

Oct 23, 2025

Delta Air Lines marked its 100th anniversary by serving as the official airline of the 60th Head of the Charles Regatta (HOCR) in Boston.

Oct 23, 2025

American Airlines has announced that it will upgrade its Boeing 777-200ER aircraft with new Flagship Suites, the airline's latest business-class product.

Oct 23, 2025

Delta Air Lines will introduce a new in-flight dining partnership with Chef José Andrés, bringing Spanish-inspired cuisine to select cabins starting November 4.

Oct 23, 2025