October Air Passenger Demand Growth Accelerates to 6.6%

28 November 2025 (Geneva) -- The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for October 2025 global passenger demand with the following highlights:

• Total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK), was up 6.6% compared to October 2024. Total capacity, measured in available seat kilometers (ASK), was up 5.8% year-on-year. The October load factor was 84.6% (+0.7 ppt compared to October 2024).
• International demand rose 8.5% compared to October 2024. Capacity was up 7.1% year-on-year, and the load factor was 84.6% (+1.1 ppt compared to October 2024).
• Domestic demand increased 3.4% compared to October 2024. Capacity was up 3.6% year-on-year. The load factor was 84.6% (-0.1 ppt compared to October 2024).

“October was a strong month for air travel with demand up 6.6% on the previous year. Of particular note is the 4.5% international traffic growth for carriers based in North America which comes after several months of basically flat performance. The trends for the rest of the year look encouraging: scheduled seat capacity in November is set to expand 3.6% and in December by 4.7%. This points to strong demand for holiday travel and businesses looking to complete deals by the end of the year. Considering the uncertainty in the economic outlook for 2026, the resilience of demand for air travel, with the jobs and growth it brings, is a bright spot that governments should nurture with care,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

Regional Breakdown - International Passenger Markets

International RPK growth climbed to 8.5% in October year-on-year, with double-digit growth in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East. All regions except the Americas saw load factors improve.

Asia-Pacific airlines achieved a 10.9% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity increased 9.1% year-on-year, and the load factor was 84.4% (+1.4 ppt compared to October 2024). International traffic within Asia had a stellar performance, with traffic to/from China, Japan, and Vietnam experiencing particularly robust expansions, each exceeding 10% growth year-on-year.

European carriers had a 7.4% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity increased 6.0% year-on-year, and the load factor was 86.5% (+1.2 ppt compared to October 2024).

North American carriers saw a 4.5% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity increased 4.7% year-on-year, and the load factor was 84.2% (-0.1 ppt compared to October 2024). The trans-Atlantic corridor expanded by 3.8% year-on-year in October, a modest improvement over September’s 3.3% increase.

Middle Eastern carriers saw a 10.7% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity increased 8.1% year-on-year, and the load factor was 82.5% (+2.0 ppt compared to October 2024). The Middle East’s strong growth is partly due to its low base a year ago, when geopolitical tensions disrupted traffic.

Latin American airlines saw a 7.2% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity climbed 8.2% year-on-year. The load factor was 84.6% (-0.8 ppt compared to October 2024).

African airlines saw a 7.3% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity was up 5.3% year-on-year. The load factor was 74.1% (+1.4 ppt compared to October 2024).

Domestic Passenger Markets

Domestic RPK rose 3.4% over October 2024 and load factor fell by 0.1 ppt to 84.6% on the back of a 3.6% capacity expansion. The US domestic market returned to modest growth after two months of contraction. Brazil’s domestic growth of 12.4% was the standout performance.