Global air travel demand continued its upward trajectory in September, according to new figures released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the global trade body representing the world’s airlines. The association reported a 3.6% year-on-year increase in total passenger demand, driven primarily by strong international travel recovery and steady domestic performance.
International air passenger demand rose by 5.1% compared to the same month last year, while domestic travel increased by 0.9%. Overall passenger capacity across all markets grew by 3.7%, with international capacity up by 5.2% and domestic capacity by 1.1%. Despite this rise, the global average load factor — a measure of how full aircraft are — remained stable at 83.4%, down only 0.1 percentage points year-on-year.
IATA Director-General Willie Walsh said the figures reflected the resilience of the aviation sector as it continues to recover from the disruptions of recent years. According to IATA, around 90% of September’s growth was fuelled by international demand, with capacity expansion slightly outpacing passenger growth. Walsh noted that airlines are preparing for a busy year-end holiday season, with November flight schedules suggesting a further 3% increase in available capacity compared to last year — despite ongoing supply chain challenges that continue to affect aircraft maintenance and parts availability.
Among IATA’s six global regions, the Middle East recorded the strongest overall growth in September at 6.2%, followed closely by Africa at 6.1%. Latin America and the Caribbean achieved growth of 5.4%, the Asia-Pacific region 5.3%, and Europe 2.9%, while North America was the only region to show a slight decline, down by 0.1%.
When focusing exclusively on international routes, the Asia-Pacific region led the way with 7.4% year-on-year growth, largely driven by a surge in intra-Asia travel — particularly between China and Japan, according to IATA’s monthly traffic report. The Middle East followed with 6.3%, while Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean both recorded 5.3%. Europe saw a 4% increase, and North America trailed with a more modest 2.5%.
Domestically, the world’s six largest aviation markets — Australia, Brazil, China, India, Japan and the United States — displayed mixed performances. Brazil stood out as the strongest performer, achieving 12.1% growth compared to the same month in 2024. China followed with 5%, Japan with 3.3%, and Australia with 1.3%. However, both India and the US experienced slight declines of 0.7%, reflecting short-term market fluctuations and capacity adjustments.
Overall, September’s figures underline the aviation industry’s continued recovery and the persistent appetite for travel worldwide. With load factors holding firm and demand steadily rising, IATA anticipates further growth heading into the final months of the year — even as airlines navigate tight supply chains, fluctuating fuel prices, and the ongoing drive to achieve lower carbon emissions.