Global air travel demand surges in January, reports IATA
February 28, 2025
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has reported a strong start to 2025 for air travel, with global passenger demand surging in January.
According to newly released data, total demand – measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPK) – rose by 10% compared to January 2024, while total capacity, measured in available seat kilometres (ASK), increased by 7.1% year-on-year.
The overall load factor hit 82.1%, an all-time high for the month of January.
International travel saw an even sharper increase, with demand rising 12.4% compared to the previous year. Capacity grew by 8.7% year-on-year, and the load factor climbed to 82.6%, also a record high for January.
Domestic travel remained strong, posting a 6.1% increase in demand from January 2024. Capacity expanded by 4.5% year-on-year, and the load factor reached 81.2%, setting another January record.
“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, IATA’s Director General.
“The strong growth in demand aligns with the results of our latest passenger survey (November 2024) in which 94% of travelers indicted 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 customise the additional services they need. It is important for regulators to clearly understand that the majority of travellers do not want to pay automatically for services they don’t need.”
