Global Air Passenger Demand Rises 5.7% in November 2025: IATA

Global air passenger demand grew 5.7% year over year in November 2025, reflecting continued recovery and sustained travel activity despite capacity constraints, according to data released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Total traffic, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK), outpaced capacity growth of 5.4%, while the global load factor reached 83.7%, a record for November and 0.3 percentage points higher than a year earlier.

International travel remained the main driver of growth. International RPKs rose 7.7% compared with November 2024, supported by a 7.1% increase in available seat kilometers (ASK). The international load factor climbed to 84.0%, also a November record. Domestic demand increased at a slower pace, rising 2.7% year over year, in line with capacity growth, leaving the domestic load factor unchanged at 83.2%.

“November 2025 saw continued strong demand for air travel with year-on-year growth of 5.7%,” says Willie Walsh, Director General, IATA. “Load factors reached a new record of 83.7% for the month as airlines continued to satisfy growing passenger demand amid continuing capacity constraints stemming from challenges in the aerospace supply chain,” he says. Walsh added that manufacturers need to address production shortfalls, noting that “the backlog of more than 17,000 aircraft orders that we reached in 2025 must be reduced in 2026.”

Regionally, Africa posted the fastest overall growth, with total demand up 12.6% year over year and capacity up 9.1%, lifting its load factor to 75.1%. Asia-Pacific airlines, which account for about one-third of global traffic, recorded a 7.8% increase in total demand and an 85.4% load factor. The European Union saw demand rise 6.1%, while North America posted marginal growth of 0.1%, alongside a 1.4% increase in capacity that reduced its load factor by 1.1 percentage points to 80.3%.

Asia-Pacific carriers reported a 9.3% increase in demand, though IATA noted that geopolitical tensions slowed traffic growth between China and Japan to single digits for the first time in 2025. EU airlines recorded 6.8% growth, while Middle Eastern carriers posted a 9.6% increase. Latin American airlines saw international demand rise 4.4%, with capacity expanding 4.7%.

IATA data shows that while demand remains strong across most regions, load factor pressure in some markets underscores ongoing aircraft delivery delays, and supply chain constraints that continue to shape airline capacity planning.