Global Air Travel Demand Continues To Soar – Up 10% In January

Total global air travel demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK), was up 10% in January, while the load factor for the month hit an all-time high of 82.2%.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) data for January 2025 revealed that international demand rose 12.4% compared to January 2024. Capacity was up 8.7% year-on-year, and the load factor was 82.6%, another all-time high for the month.

Domestic demand rose 6.1% compared to January 2024. Capacity was up 4.5% year-on-year. The load factor was 81.2% — again 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, 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,” Walsh added.

The IATA leader said airlines are doing a good job of accommodating growing demand amid fleet and infrastructure constraints, with satisfaction levels above 95%, and nearly 80% of travellers agreeing that air travel is good value for money. 

Walsh said that customer 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 travellers do not want to pay automatically for services they don’t need.” 

North American carriers saw a 3.8% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity increased 0.6% year-on-year, and the load factor was 81.8%.