IATA: Air Travel Demand Reaches September All-Time High, But Challenges Ahead

The year’s peak travel season ended with demand at an all-time high, the director general of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Willie Walsh, said on Thursday.

According to data by IATA, September 2024 saw global passenger demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK), up 7.1 percent compared to September 2023, marking an all-time high for the month. Total capacity, or available seat kilometers (ASK), rose by 5.8 percent year-on-year, with the load factor reaching 83.6 percent — up 1.0 percentage point from September 2023.

“This is good news not just for passengers but also for the global economy,” Walsh said, adding that every flight creates more jobs and trade.

International and domestic demand

International passenger demand grew by 9.2 percent compared to September 2023, with capacity up by 9.1 percent and the load factor rising to 83.8 percent. Meanwhile, domestic demand rose by 3.7 percent, with a more modest capacity increase of 0.7 percent and an improved load factor of 83.3 percent (+2.4ppt year-on-year).

Regional highlights

All regions demonstrated positive growth in international passenger markets for September 2024.

European carriers recorded the highest load factor at 85.9 percent, a 0.2-point rise year-on-year, with demand up 7.6 percent and capacity up 7.4 percent.

Moreover, Asia-Pacific airlines achieved an 18.5 percent rise in demand, with capacity growing by 17.7 percent, resulting in a load factor of 82.6 percent (+0.5ppt from September 2023). Other regions, such as Africa, showed load factor improvements, while the Americas and the Middle East faced declines.

Domestic passenger markets

Domestic demand showed steady growth across major markets, with Japan being the only exception where all-time highs were not reached. Most other key markets reported record levels of domestic traffic for September.

IATA: Challenges ahead

IATA Director General Willie Walsh.

Despite the strong figures, IATA’s director general, Willie Walsh, cautioned about imminent challenges brought by the “success story” of air travel.

“We will soon face a capacity crunch in some regions which threatens to curtail these economic and social benefits,” Walsh stressed, adding that governments must choose between losing competitiveness or supporting sustainable growth through infrastructure.

He noted that airlines are investing in achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 and that aviation’s sustainable future depends on having adequate and efficient airport and air traffic management systems.

“That needs to be accompanied by an equally active political vision, backed-up by actions, to meet the needs of citizens and businesses to travel,” Walsh said.

IATA represents some 330 airlines comprising over 80 percent of global air traffic.