The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released its global passenger demand report for June 2025, showing how growth in the sector slowed during the month.
Total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK), was up 2.6 percent compared to June 2024; while total capacity, measured in available seat kilometers (ASK), was also up 3.4 percent year-on-year.
Meanwhile, the load factor in June was at 84.5 percent, around 0.6 ppt lower compared to June 2024.
Meanwhile, international demand rose 3.2 percent compared to June 2024, with capacity up 4.2 percent year-on-year, and the load factor was 84.4 percent.
On the other hand, domestic demand rose by 1.6 percent compared to June 2024, with capacity up 2.1 percent year-on-year.
The load factor in terms of domestic demand was at 84.7 percent, lower by 0.4 ppt compared to June 2024.
IATA director-general Willie Walsh opined: “In June, demand for air travel grew by 2.6 percent. 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 percent capacity expansion, load factors dipped 0.6 percentage points from their all-time record-high levels. At 84.5 percent globally, however, load factors are still very strong. And with a modest 1.8 percent capacity growth visible in August schedules, load factors over the Northern summer are unlikely to stray far from their recent historic highs.”
International passenger market performance in June 2025
International RPK growth reached 3.2 percent 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 percent year-on-year, impacted by military conflict.
Regional performance is as follows:
- Asia-Pacific airlines achieved a 7.2% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity increased 7.5% year-on-year, and the load factor was 82.9% (-0.2 ppt compared to June 2024).
- European carriers had a 2.8% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity increased 3.3% year-on-year, and the load factor was 87.4% (-0.4 ppt compared to June 2024).
- North American carriers saw a 0.3% year-on-year fall in demand. Capacity increased 2.2% year-on-year, and the load factor was 86.9% (-2.2 ppt compared to June 2024).
- Middle Eastern carriers saw a 0.4% year-on-year decrease in demand. Capacity increased 1.1% year-on-year, and the load factor was 78.7% (-1.2 ppt compared to June 2024). Military conflict particularly impacted traffic on routes to North America (-7.0% year-on-year) and Europe (-4.4% year-on-year).
- Latin American airlines saw a 9.3% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity climbed 11.8% year-on-year. The load factor was 83.3% (-1.9 ppt compared to June 2024).
- African airlines saw a 0.3% year-on-year decrease in demand. Capacity was up 0.3% year-on-year. The load factor was 74.6% (-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.
How domestic markets fared in June
Domestic RPK rose 1.6 percent over June 2024 and load factor fell by 0.4 ppt to 84.7 percent.
These developments were on the back of a 2.1 percent capacity expansion.
Brazil was the standout performer, and the US domestic market saw a very slight expansion for the first time in four months.
