IATA reports passenger demand growth in July

IATA has released global passenger demand data for July 2025, with the highlights including:

• Total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPK), was up 4.0% compared to July 2024. Total capacity, measured in available seat kilometres (ASK), was up 4.4% year-on-year. The July load factor was 85.5% (-0.4 ppt compared to July 2024).
• International demand rose 5.3% compared to July 2024. Capacity was up 5.8% year-on-year, and the load factor was 85.6% (-0.4 ppt compared to July 2024).
• Domestic demand increased 1.9% compared to July 2024. Capacity was up 2.4% year-on-year. The load factor was 85.2% (-0.4 ppt compared to July 2024).

Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General, observed: “It’s been a good northern summer season for airlines. Momentum has grown over the peak season with July demand reaching 4% growth.”

Walsh continued: “That trend appears across all regions and is particularly evident for international travel, which strengthened from 3.9% growth in June to 5.3% in July. Moreover, with flight volumes showing a 2% year-on-year increase for September after five months of decelerating growth, airlines are positioned to take advantage of this market momentum into the coming months.”

Broken down regionally, internationalRPK growth reached 5.3% in July year-on-year, but load factors fell in all regions except Africa.

In Asia-Pacific airlines achieved an 8.7% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity increased 9.0% year-on-year, and the load factor was 83.8% (-0.2 ppt compared to July 2024).

European carriers had a 4.0% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity increased 4.2% year-on-year, and the load factor was 87.3% (-0.2 ppt compared to July 2024).

North American carriers saw a 2.4% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity increased 3.6% year-on-year, and the load factor was 88.4% (-1.0 ppt compared to July 2024). International traffic routes for the Americas were all positive except for traffic between North America and South America which declined 0.8%.

Middle Eastern carriers saw a 5.3% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity rose by  5.6% year-on-year, and the load factor was 84.1% (-0.2 ppt compared to July 2024). Middle East growth rebounded after the disruptions caused by the military conflict in June.

Latin American airlines saw a 9.3% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity climbed 11.3% year-on-year. The load factor was 85.8% (-1.6 ppt compared to July 2024). Intra-regional traffic was particularly strong.

African airlines saw a 2.8% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity was up 2.3% year-on-year. The load factor was 74.9% (up 0.4 ppt compared to July 2024). Traffic on routes between Africa and Asia had a notable surge.

Go to www.iata.org for more.