Dubai: The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has unveiled data for July 2025, indicating a 4% increase in global passenger demand compared to the same period in 2024.
According to Emirates News Agency, total capacity saw a rise of 4.4% year-on-year, with the July load factor standing at 85.5%, a slight decrease of 0.4 percentage points from July 2024. International demand experienced a growth of 5.3% compared to the previous year, with capacity increasing by 5.8% year-on-year and a load factor of 85.6%, also down by 0.4 percentage points.
Domestic demand showed a 1.9% increase compared to July 2024, with capacity increasing by 2.4% year-on-year. The domestic load factor was recorded at 85.2%, marking a 0.4 percentage point decline from the previous year. Notably, Brazil emerged as the strongest performer in terms of domestic RPK growth, while Japan achieved a record high load factor of 81.4% for July since at least 2000.
Middle Eastern carriers reported a 5.3% year-on-year increase in demand, with capacity rising by 5.6%. The load factor for the region was 84.1%, down by 0.2 percentage points compared to July 2024. The growth in the Middle East rebounded following disruptions caused by military conflict in June.
Willie Walsh, IATA's Director General, commented on the performance, noting that the northern summer season was favorable for airlines, with momentum building over the peak season. He highlighted that international travel saw growth from 3.9% in June to 5.3% in July, and flight volumes showed a 2% year-on-year increase for September, signaling potential market momentum for the coming months.