According to the latest data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK), was up 10.0% compared to January 2024. Additionally, total capacity, measured in available seat kilometers (ASK), was up 7.1% year-on-year, while the January load factor was 82.1% (+2.2ppt compared to January 2024), an all-time high for January.
The organization also reports that international demand rose 12.4% compared to January 2024, with capacity up 8.7% year-on-year and the load factor at 82.6% (+2.7 ppt compared to January 2024), an all-time high for January. Domestic demand also rose, 6.1% compared to January 2024, with capacity up 4.5% year-on-year and a load factor of 81.2% (+1.2ppt compared to January 2024), an all-time high for January.
“We’ve seen a notable acceleration in demand this January, with a particularly strong performance by carriers based in the Asia-Pacific region. The record high load factors that accompany this strong demand are yet another reminder of the persistent supply chain issues in the aerospace sector,” said Willie Walsh, director general of IATA.
“The strong growth in demand aligns with the results of our latest passenger survey (November 2024) in which 94% of travelers indicated that they planned to travel as much or more in the coming 12 months than they did in the past year. Airlines are doing a good job of accommodating growing demand amid fleet and infrastructure constraints with satisfaction levels above 95%, and nearly 80% of travelers agreeing that air travel is good value for money. Choice is an important component of this satisfaction. Some 70% prefer to pay the lowest fare and customize the additional services they need. It is important for regulators to clearly understand that the majority of travelers do not want to pay automatically for services they don’t need,” said Walsh.
Air passenger market in detail
| January 2025 (% year-on-year) | World Share1 | RPK | ASK | PLF(%-PT)2 | PLF(Level)3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Total Market
|
100%
|
10.0%
|
7.1%
|
+2.2%
|
82.1%
|
|
Africa
|
2.2%
|
15.0%
|
11.5%
|
+2.3%
|
75.9%
|
|
Asia Pacific
|
33.5%
|
16.1%
|
11.6%
|
+3.3%
|
84.2%
|
|
Europe
|
26.7%
|
7.4%
|
5.3%
|
+1.5%
|
79.8%
|
|
Latin America
|
5.3%
|
7.9%
|
9.9%
|
-1.5%
|
83.3%
|
|
Middle East
|
9.4%
|
9.6%
|
4.3%
|
+4.0%
|
83.9%
|
|
North America
|
22.9%
|
3.4%
|
2.1%
|
+1.0%
|
80.5%
|
1) % of industry RPKs in 2024 2) Year-on-year change in load factor 3) Load Factor Level
Regional breakdown of international passenger markets
The researchers found that all regions showed growth for international passenger markets in January 2025 compared to January 2024, with Asia-Pacific demand particularly strong. All markets except Europe and North America showed strong acceleration in January compared to December 2024. Load factors rose year-on-year in all markets except Latin America.
According to the IATA data, Asia-Pacific airlines achieved a 21.8% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity increased 16.5% year-on-year and the load factor was 86.7% (+3.8ppt compared to January 2024). Traffic from Northeast Asia was particularly strong.
European carriers had an 8.6% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity increased 6.2% year-on-year, and the load factor was 79.2% (+1.8ppt compared to January 2024).
Middle Eastern carriers saw a 9.6% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity increased 4.4% year-on-year and the load factor was 83.8% (+4.0ppt compared to January 2024). Results in this region have been underpinned by a gradual return of traffic in Israel, and strong performance of the Gulf carriers. African airlines saw a 14.9% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity was up 11.2% year-on-year. The load factor rose to 75.9% (+2.4ppt compared to January 2024).
Finally, North American carriers saw a 3.8% year-on-year increase in demand, while capacity increased 0.6% year-on-year and the load factor was 81.8% (+2.6ppt compared to January 2024), and Latin American airlines saw an 12.9% year-on-year increase in demand, while capacity climbed 15.5% year-on-year and the load factor increased by -1.9ppt to 84.3% (compared to January 2024).
Domestic passenger markets
According to IATA, the domestic RPK increase of 6.1% over the previous year reflected particularly strong growth in India, despite engine issues for some carriers, and in Japan and China. The latter’s growth of 10.0% was found to be driven by record numbers traveling for the lunar new year; load factors continued to edge up (+1.2ppt) to hit a record high of 81.2% for January.
| January 2025 (% year-on-year) | World Share1 | RPK | ASK | PLF(%-PT)2 | PLF(LEVEL)3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Domestic
|
38.2%
|
6.1%
|
4.5%
|
+1.2%
|
81.2%
|
|
Domestic Australia
|
0.8%
|
4.7%
|
-2.0%
|
+5.0%
|
77.4%
|
|
Domestic Brazil
|
1.1%
|
6.6%
|
6.9%
|
-0.3%
|
83.0%
|
|
Domestic China P.R.
|
11.3%
|
10.0%
|
5.7%
|
+3.3%
|
83.3%
|
|
Domestic India
|
1.6%
|
17.1%
|
17.2%
|
-0.1%
|
88.9%
|
|
Domestic Japan
|
1.0%
|
12.1%
|
6.1%
|
+3.9%
|
73.8%
|
|
Domestic US
|
14.4%
|
3.0%
|
2.6%
|
+0.3%
|
79.6%
|
1) % of industry RPKs in 2024 2) year-on-year change in load factor 3) Load Factor Level
In related news, Airports Council International (ACI) World’s Airport Traffic Forecasts 2024–2053 report, recently predicted that global passenger numbers would reach 17.7 billion by 2043 and 22.3 billion by 2053 – nearly 2.4 times the projected volume for 2024. Click here to read the full story.