Global air passenger traffic sets new record in 2024

Saturday 01 February 2025 - 12:40

In 2024, global air passenger traffic reached a historic high, with a year-on-year increase of over 10% and around 4% growth compared to 2019, the pre-pandemic reference year, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The total for 2024 amounted to 4.89 billion passenger kilometers, up from 4.44 in 2023 and 4.54 in 2019. In 2020, at the start of the health crisis, these volumes had dropped to 1.78 billion, IATA reported.

The association, which represents around 340 airlines accounting for more than 80% of global traffic, had predicted a record year for 2024, and it expects traffic to continue rising in 2025, forecasting an 8% increase. International travel was the main driver of growth in 2024, with a 13.6% rise. Domestic flights also saw a 5.7% increase.

Asia-Pacific airlines, global leaders, experienced the most significant growth (+16.9%), followed by European carriers (+8.7%) and North American ones (+4.6%). IATA noted that despite an 8.7% increase in airline capacity, demand outpaced supply, leading to an unprecedented seat occupancy rate of 83.5%, a 1.3 percentage point increase.

The rise in passenger traffic was partly driven by supply chain challenges, which restricted the delivery of new aircraft and limited availability. IATA's Director General, Willie Walsh, indicated that by 2025, travel demand is expected to continue growing at a moderate 8% pace, more in line with historical averages.

However, the desire for air travel also highlights challenges, including safety concerns, as demonstrated by a recent tragic accident in Washington. Walsh also highlighted airlines' commitment to reducing carbon emissions to zero by 2050, noting that the supply of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is insufficient, and costs must decrease.

Air freight also saw record-breaking performance in 2024, benefiting from the success of e-commerce and geopolitical tensions that have hindered maritime freight, with volumes rising by more than 11%.