IATA reports global rise in international premium air travel driven by leisure segment

- Europe recorded the highest number of international premium passengers at 39.3 million.

- The Middle East led with the largest percentage of international premium travelers at 14.7%.

- Latin America & Caribbean saw the fastest regional growth in premium travel among these four regions at 21.8%.

Asia Pacific experienced the highest overall increase in premium passengers worldwide at 22.8%, though growth in economy class was even higher at 28.6%. The region was also identified as the fastest-growing aviation market globally in 2024, with total passenger numbers rising by 28.3%. Africa registered a more modest increase of 5.6% in premium passenger figures compared to last year.

The underlying factors driving this shift include changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and evolving traveler preferences. For decades prior to COVID-19, airlines depended on corporate contracts and business travelers for much of their profit from premium cabins. While leisure travel rebounded quickly after pandemic restrictions eased, business travel was slower to return due to remote work trends and virtual meetings reducing corporate travel needs.

Recently, however, both business and long-haul leisure travelers are fueling renewed demand for higher-end seating options. Many leisure passengers who previously flew economy are now upgrading to premium cabins on longer flights—a key reason behind current robust growth rates.

Legacy airlines appear to be benefiting most from this trend, especially those with large international networks and established reputations for service quality. In the United States, Delta Air Lines has been recognized as a leader among "premium" carriers but faces increasing competition from United Airlines adopting similar strategies; both are outperforming American Airlines in this segment due to its less prominent long-haul network and image.

Emirates announced earlier this year that it had become the world’s most profitable airline—attributing part of its success to a strong brand reputation and an extensive long-haul network that appeals directly to high-yielding travelers seeking luxury experiences.

Budget airlines have not seen comparable gains from these trends: while some like Ryanair remain highly profitable, others such as Wizzair are experiencing lower profits; several U.S.-based low-cost carriers have reported losses or financial difficulties recently—Spirit Airlines exited bankruptcy protection and JetBlue has not posted a profit since 2019.