The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released data for June 2025 global passenger demand, highlighting a 2.6 per cent growth in demand.

Total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPK), was up 2.6 per cent compared to June 2024. Total capacity, measured in available seat kilometres (ASK), was also up 3.4 per cent year-on-year. The June load factor was 84.5 per cent (-0.6 ppt compared to June 2024).

International demand rose 3.2 per cent compared to June 2024. Capacity was up 4.2 per cent year-on-year, and the load factor was 84.4 per cent (-0.8 ppt compared to June 2024).

Domestic demand increased 1.6 per cent compared to June 2024. Capacity was up 2.1 per cent year-on-year. The load factor was 84.7 per cent (-0.4 ppt compared to June 2024).

IATA’s Director-General, Willie Walsh, said: “In June, demand for air travel grew by 2.6 per cent. 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 per cent capacity expansion, load factors dipped 0.6 percentage points from their all-time record-high levels. At 84.5 per cent globally, however, load factors are still very strong. And with a modest 1.8 per cent capacity growth visible in August schedules, load factors over the Northern summer are unlikely to stray far from their recent historic highs,” Walsh said.

International RPK growth reached 3.2 per cent 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 per cent year-on-year, impacted by military conflict.

African airlines saw a 0.3 per cent year-on-year decrease in demand. Capacity was up 0.3 per cent year-on-year. The load factor was 74.6 per cent (-0.5 ppt compared to June 2024). The decline in African load factor may be due to increased competition from European and Middle Eastern carriers.

Asia-Pacific airlines achieved a 7.2 per cent year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity increased 7.5 per cent year-on-year, and the load factor was 82.9 per cent (-0.2 ppt compared to June 2024).

European carriers had a 2.8 per cent year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity increased 3.3 per cent year-on-year, and the load factor was 87.4 per cent (-0.4 ppt compared to June 2024).

North American carriers saw a 0.3 per cent year-on-year fall in demand. Capacity increased 2.2 per cent year-on-year, and the load factor was 86.9 per cent (-2.2 ppt compared to June 2024).

Middle Eastern carriers saw a 0.4 per cent year-on-year decrease in demand. Capacity increased 1.1 per cent year-on-year, and the load factor was 78.7 per cent (-1.2 ppt compared to June 2024). Military conflict particularly impacted traffic on routes to North America (-7.0 per cent year-on-year) and Europe (-4.4 per cent year-on-year).

Latin American airlines saw a 9.3 per cent year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity climbed 11.8 per cent year-on-year. The load factor was 83.3 per cent (-1.9 ppt compared to June 2024).