The World of Aviation Sees Global Passenger Traffic Surge as IATA Reports 8.1% Increase in November 2024

Published on January 10, 2025

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced the November 2024 global passenger traffic figures with these key points:

• Global travel demand, quantified in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK), increased by 8.1% from November 2023. Available seat kilometers (ASK), a measure of capacity, grew by 5.7% from the previous year. The load factor in November reached a record high for the month at 83.4%, a 1.9 percentage point increase from the year before.
• International traffic surged by 11.6% from November 2023. Capacity rose by 8.6% and the load factor climbed to 83.4%, marking a 2.3 percentage point rise. The growth was primarily fueled by strong performances from airlines in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.
• Domestic travel saw a 3.1% increase in demand from the previous year, with a capacity rise of 1.5%. The domestic load factor improved by 1.2 percentage points to 83.5%.

“November was another month of strong growth in the demand for air travel with an overall expansion of 8.1%. The month was also another reminder of the supply chain issues that are preventing airlines from getting the aircraft they need to meet growing demand. Capacity growth is lagging demand by 2.4 ppts and load factors are at record levels. Airlines are missing out on opportunities to better serve customers, modernize their products and improve their environmental performance because aircraft are not being delivered on time. The 2025 New Year’s resolution for the aerospace manufacturing sector must be finding a fast and durable solution for their supply chain issues,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

Air passenger market statistics in November 2024:

Regional Insights – International Passenger Traffic:

• Each region recorded growth in international passenger traffic in November 2024 compared to the previous year. Europe boasted the highest load factors at 85.0%, while the Asia-Pacific led in growth with a 19.9% increase in demand.
• Asia-Pacific carriers reported a significant 19.9% increase in demand year-on-year, with capacity up by 16.2% and a load factor of 84.9%, up by 2.6 percentage points.
• European airlines experienced a 9.4% rise in demand, with a 7.1% increase in capacity and a load factor of 85.0%, up by 1.8 percentage points.
• Middle Eastern airlines saw an 8.7% increase in demand, with a 3.9% rise in capacity and an improved load factor of 81.0%, up by 3.6 percentage points.
• North American airlines reported a 3.1% rise in demand with a 1.6% increase in capacity and a load factor of 81.0%, a rise of 1.1 percentage points.
• Latin American carriers recorded an 11.4% increase in demand, with capacity rising by 11.9%. However, the load factor slightly decreased by 0.4 percentage points to 84.4%.
• African airlines saw a 12.4% increase in demand with a 6.0% rise in capacity. The load factor increased significantly by 4.1 percentage points to 72.9%.

Domestic Passenger Traffic:

• Domestic RPK grew by 3.1% over the previous year, showing a slight deceleration from the 3.5% growth seen in October. All markets except the US exhibited stable growth. The US market contracted by 2.7%, a sharper decline than the 1.2% dip seen in October, continuing a downward trend since June 2024, primarily due to reduced activity by low-cost carriers, though mainline carriers in the US have continued to grow.

Domestic air passenger markets in November 2024: