May 2024: Domestic Passenger Demand Up by 4.7%, IATA Reveals

Published on July 3, 2024

In May 2024, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) unveiled key insights into global passenger demand.

1. Total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPKs), increased by 10.7% compared to May 2023. Total capacity, measured in available seat kilometers (ASK), rose by 8.5% year-on-year. The load factor for May reached a record high of 83.4%, up 1.7 percentage points from May 2023.
2. International demand saw a 14.6% increase compared to May 2023. Capacity grew by 14.1% year-on-year, with the load factor improving to 82.8%, up 0.3 percentage points from May 2023.
3. Domestic demand increased by 4.7% compared to May 2023, with capacity rising by 0.1% year-on-year. The load factor was 84.5%, up 3.8 percentage points from May 2023.

“Strong demand for travel continues with airlines posting a 10.7% year-on-year increase in travel for May. Airlines filled 83.4% of their seats, a record for the month. With May ticket sales for early peak- season travel up nearly 6%, the growth trend shows no signs of abating. Airlines are doing everything they can to ensure smooth journeys for all travelers over the peak northern summer period. But our expectations of air navigation service providers (ANSPs) are already being tested. With 5.2 million minutes of air traffic control delays racked up in Europe even before the peak season begins, it is clear that Europe’s ANSPs have unresolved challenges. And the 32,000 flight delays over the Memorial Day weekend in May show that challenges persist in the US too. Airlines are accountable to their customers; ANSPs must be as well. ANSP performance matters to their airline customers and to millions of travelers. We all need them to do their job efficiently,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

Regional Breakdown – International Passenger Markets

In May 2024, all regions experienced robust growth in international passenger markets compared to May 2023, with load factors increasing across all regions except North America.

1. Asia-Pacific:

• Demand rose by 27.0% year-on-year.
• Capacity increased by 26.0% year-on-year.
• Load factor reached 81.6% (+0.6ppt compared to May 2023).
• Asia-Pacific airlines continue to lead industry growth, contributing 42% to the year-on-year increase.

1. Europe:

• Demand increased by 11.7% year-on-year.
• Capacity grew by 11.3% year-on-year.
• Load factor was 84.7% (+0.3ppt compared to May 2023).

1. Middle East:

• Demand rose by 9.7% year-on-year.
• Capacity increased by 9.0% year-on-year.
• Load factor improved to 80.7% (+0.5ppt compared to May 2023).
• Notable growth in Asian routes to the Middle East, now 32% higher than in 2019.
• Europe-Middle East route saw RPK increases for two consecutive years in April-May, possibly influenced by the Russia-Ukraine war.

1. North America:

• Demand grew by 8.1% year-on-year.
• Capacity increased by 9.7% year-on-year.
• Load factor decreased to 84.0% (-1.2ppt compared to May 2023).

1. Latin America:

• Demand surged by 15.9% year-on-year.
• Capacity rose by 14.3% year-on-year.
• Load factor climbed to 85.1% (+1.2ppt compared to May 2023), the highest among regions.

1. Africa:

• Demand grew by 14.1% year-on-year.
• Capacity increased by 8.2% year-on-year.
• Load factor reached 72.3% (+3.7ppt compared to May 2023), the fastest increase among regions, though Africa still has the lowest load factor overall.

Domestic Markets

Domestic demand remained stable in May, with notable regional variations:

• China: Experienced a surge in growth, aligning with post-Labor Day holidays.
• Japan: Saw a decline of 1.8%, potentially reflecting low business and consumer confidence.

In 2023, 1% of the industry’s Revenue Passenger Kilometers (RPKs) originated from the six domestic passenger markets with available data, representing around 31.4% of the global total RPKs and 78.8% of the total domestic RPKs.