Global air travel demand jumps 6.6% in October, as per IATA

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reported steady growth in global air passenger traffic for October 2025, highlighting continued resilience across major markets. Total passenger demand,

measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK), rose 6.6% compared to October 2024.

Capacity increased 5.8% year-on-year, pushing the global load factor to 84.6%, a 0.7-percentage-point improvement over the previous year.

International travel continued to outperform domestic markets with an 8.5% rise in demand. Capacity on international routes expanded by 7.1%, leading to a load factor of 84.6%, up 1.1 percentage points. Domestic demand grew at a more moderate pace of 3.4%, alongside a 3.6% increase in capacity. The domestic load factor remained broadly stable at 84.6%.

IATA Director General Willie Walsh said the month’s performance underscores strong underlying demand. He pointed out a notable improvement in North American carriers’ international traffic, which rose 4.5% after months of flat growth. Walsh added that scheduled seat capacity is set to rise further in November and December, signalling robust expectations for the holiday and year-end business travel season despite economic uncertainties heading into 2026.

Regional performance

International RPK growth accelerated to 8.5% in October, supported by double-digit gains in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East.

Asia-Pacific airlines led the recovery with a 10.9% increase in international demand. Capacity in the region rose 9.1%, and the load factor improved to 84.4%. Intra-Asia routes performed exceptionally well, with traffic to and from China, Japan and Vietnam posting growth above 10% year-on-year.

European carriers also reported a strong month, registering a 7.4% rise in international demand. Capacity climbed 6%, pushing load factors up to 86.5%, the highest among all regions.