Global air passenger growth slows to 2.6% in June 2025: IATA
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The steepest fall in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK) growth from May was in the Middle East, where intl. traffic contracted 0.4% y-o-y, impacted by military conflict. Latin America saw highest increase in demand, while India recorded 3.1% domestic RPK.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for June 2025 global passenger demand revealing that air travel grew by 2.6% YoY, in June, at a slower pace than previous months of 2025.
The highlight of the report includes total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK), was up 2.6% compared to June 2024. Total capacity, measured in available seat kilometers (ASK), was also up 3.4% year-on-year. The June load factor was 84.5% (-0.6 ppt compared to June 2024); International demand rose 3.2% compared to June 2024. Capacity was up 4.2% year-on-year, and the load factor was 84.4% (-0.8 ppt compared to June 2024); and domestic demand increased by 1.6% compared to June 2024. Capacity was up 2.1% year-on-year. The load factor was 84.7% (-0.4 ppt compared to June 2024).
“In June, demand for air travel grew by 2.6%. That’s a slower pace than we have seen in previous months and reflects disruptions around military conflict in the Middle East. With demand growth lagging the 3.4% capacity expansion, load factors dipped 0.6 percentage points from their all-time record-high levels. At 84.5% globally, however, load factors are still very strong. And with a modest 1.8% capacity growth visible in August schedules, load factors over the Northern summer are unlikely to stray far from their recent historic highs,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.
International RPK growth reached 3.2% in June year-on-year, but load factor fell across all regions as capacity growth outstripped demand. The steepest fall in RPK growth from May was in the Middle East, where international traffic contracted 0.4% year-on-year, impacted by military conflict. Latin America airlines saw highest increase in demand with a 9.3% year-on-year, followed by Asia-Pacific airlines achieved a 7.2% year-on-year increase in demand, European carriers had a 2.8% year-on-year increase in demand and others.
Domestic RPK rose 1.6% over June 2024 and load factor fell by 0.4 ppt to 84.7% on the back of a 2.1% capacity expansion. Brazil was the standout performer with 18.3% RPK, and the US domestic market saw a very slight expansion of -1.7% RPK for the first time in four months. While India recorded 3.1% RPK.
