Airports Council International (ACI) World says global airports carried a record 9.8 billion passengers in 2025, with air cargo and aircraft movements also reaching all-time highs, but momentum has since cooled in 2026 as passenger growth slows amid mounting geopolitical and economic pressure. The figures, published in ACI World’s 2026 Annual World Airport Traffic Report, draw on data from 2,817 commercial airports, the organisation’s largest dataset yet, capturing an estimated 97 percent of scheduled global passenger traffic. “The 2025 results confirm what this industry has shown year after year: long-term demand for air travel remains strong, and more capacity will be needed,” said Justin Erbacci, ACI World’s Director General. “Meeting that demand means expanding capacity while getting far more out of the infrastructure we already have. It also means advocating for regulation that enables investment rather than blocking it and never losing sight of the fact that airports are strategic assets for their communities.”

2025: THE YEAR IN NUMBERS

International travel drove 2025’s growth, with international passenger traffic up 6.1 percent against domestic growth of 1.7 percent, while global air cargo rose 3.3 percent to a record 131.2 million tonnes and aircraft movements increased 2.0 percent to 103.1 million. Growth was strong across almost every region: Africa led with a 9.0 percent rise in traffic, followed by the Middle East (6.5 percent), Asia-Pacific (5.1 percent), Latin America and the Caribbean (4.5 percent) and Europe (4.2 percent); North America was the exception, with traffic dipping 0.7 percent amid softer domestic demand.

2026 SO FAR: TURBULENCE BENEATH THE SURFACE

The opening months of 2026 tell a more complicated story: global passenger traffic reached approximately 4.7 billion in the first half of the year, up just 0.6 percent on the same period in 2025, a marked slowdown from last year’s pace. Growth persisted across Africa, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Asia-Pacific, while North America remained largely flat and the Middle East saw the sharpest decline, with traffic down 21 percent as the region absorbed the impact of escalating conflict and airspace disruption. ACI World’s report nonetheless frames its underlying message as one of confidence, arguing that aviation’s long-run demand drivers, rising populations, growing incomes, expanding connectivity and an enduring appetite for mobility, remain firmly intact.