The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released its data for April 2024, revealing a significant increase in global passenger demand. Highlights from the report show a robust 11% rise in total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPKs), compared to April 2023. This growth outpaced the 9.6% year-on-year increase in total capacity, measured in available seat kilometers (ASKs), resulting in an April load factor of 82.4%, a 1.0 percentage point improvement from the previous year.
International and Domestic Demand
International travel saw a notable uptick with a 15.8% rise in demand compared to April 2023. Capacity in this segment grew by 14.8% year-on-year, leading to an improved load factor of 82.2%, up 0.7 percentage points from last year. On the domestic front, demand increased by 4.0% year-on-year, with capacity rising by 2.1%. The domestic load factor reached 82.6%, a 1.5 percentage point increase from April 2023.
Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General, expressed optimism for the upcoming peak northern summer travel season, noting that passenger demand has been on a growth trajectory for 36 consecutive months. “As we enter the peak northern summer travel season, there is every reason to feel optimistic for a strong summer with airlines offering a wide range of travel options. 97% of passengers asked in our recent survey said they were satisfied with their last flight. Every part of the travel value chain needs to be focused on maintaining that,” said Walsh.
The IATA Passenger Survey also highlighted that 88% of respondents believe that air travel improves their lives. This sentiment underscores the importance of air connectivity, which will be a key topic at the upcoming IATA Annual General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit in Dubai. Walsh emphasised the industry’s commitment to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050, ensuring that the benefits of air travel can be sustained.
Regional Breakdown – International Passenger Markets
All regions showed strong growth in international passenger markets in April 2024 compared to April 2023, with the overall load factor reaching a two-year high. Capacity increases across regions were well-matched to demand, reflecting a healthy recovery trajectory.
- Asia-Pacific: Airlines in this region led the growth with a 32.1% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity increased by 29.3%, and the load factor rose to 83.7%, a 1.7 percentage point improvement. Traffic flows from the Middle East and Africa to Asia were particularly strong.
- Europe: European carriers saw a 10.1% increase in demand year-on-year. Capacity increased by 10.0%, and the load factor was 83.3%, up 0.1 percentage points. International routes from Europe have surpassed pre-COVID levels to all regions except Africa.
- Middle East: Airlines experienced a 14.2% increase in demand. Capacity grew by 9.9%, leading to a load factor of 79.3%, a 3.0 percentage point increase.
- North America: Carriers saw a 6.5% increase in demand, with a 10.3% rise in capacity. The load factor, however, fell to 81.0%, down 2.9 percentage points.
- Latin America: Airlines posted a 14.5% increase in demand. Capacity climbed by 13.5%, and the load factor rose to 84.1%, the highest among all regions, up 0.7 percentage points.
- Africa: Airlines saw a 15.5% increase in demand. Capacity increased by 10.4%, with the load factor rising to 73.0%, a 3.2 percentage point improvement.
Domestic Markets
Domestic demand increased at a slower pace in April. China’s growth rate moderated to 4.2% due to the end of the holiday surge, while Japan’s almost flat performance was attributed to the end of the fiscal year and the start of the school spring holiday. Despite this, Japan’s RPK trend remains positive.
As the aviation industry continues to rebound, these figures highlight a promising future for global air travel, driven by rising passenger demand and strategic capacity management.
