Airports worldwide carried a record 9.8 billion passengers in 2025, according to Airports Council International (ACI) World’s 2026 Annual World Airport Traffic Report (WATR), while global air cargo volumes also reached an all-time high. Momentum has since cooled in 2026, with passenger growth slowing amid geopolitical and economic headwinds, even as cargo continues to expand, the organization said.
The figures draw on data from 2,817 commercial airports worldwide, which ACI World describes as its largest data set to date, capturing an estimated 97% of scheduled global passenger traffic.
“The 2025 results confirm what this industry has shown year after year: long-term demand for air travel remains strong, and more capacity will be needed,” said Justin Erbacci, ACI World director general.
“Meeting that demand means expanding capacity while getting far more out of the infrastructure we already have. It also means advocating for regulation that enables investment rather than blocking it and never losing sight of the fact that airports are strategic assets for their communities.”
Air cargo reached a record 131.2 million metric tons over the year, while aircraft movements climbed to 103.1 million, according to the report.
International travel drove 2025’s growth, with passenger traffic up 6.1%, outpacing domestic growth of 1.7%. Global air cargo rose 3.3%, and aircraft movements increased 2.0%. Growth was strong across most regions: Africa led with a 9.0% rise in traffic, followed by the Middle East (6.5%), Asia-Pacific (5.1%), Latin America and the Caribbean (4.5%); and Europe, which grew 4.2%. North America was the exception, with traffic dipping 0.7% amid softer domestic demand.
The picture has shifted in 2026. Global passenger traffic reached approximately 4.7 billion in the first half of the year, up just 0.6% on the same period in 2025 – a marked slowdown from the prior year’s pace.
Growth continued across Africa, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Asia-Pacific, while North America remained largely flat. The Middle East saw the sharpest decline, with traffic down 21%, which ACI World attributed to the impact of the escalating crisis and airspace disruption in the region.
Despite the near-term volatility, the report said the long-run drivers of aviation demand – rising populations, growing incomes, expanding connectivity and sustained appetite for mobility – remain intact.
You can access the report here.
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