{"id":58409,"date":"2025-10-30T18:56:20","date_gmt":"2025-10-30T15:56:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/saudishopper.com.sa\/en\/?p=58409"},"modified":"2026-03-28T08:34:08","modified_gmt":"2026-03-28T05:34:08","slug":"3-6-air-passenger-growth-in-september","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/saudishopper.com.sa\/en\/3-6-air-passenger-growth-in-september\/","title":{"rendered":"3.6% Air Passenger Growth in September"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
30 October 2025 (Geneva) \u2013 The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for September 2025 global passenger demand with the following highlights:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Total demand,\u00a0<\/strong>measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK), was up 3.6% compared to September 2024. Total capacity, measured in available seat kilometers (ASK), was up 3.7% year-on-year. The September load factor was 83.4% (-0.1 ppt compared to September 2024).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
International demand\u00a0<\/strong>rose 5.1% compared to September 2024. Capacity was up 5.2% year-on-year, and the load factor was 83.6% (-0.1 ppt compared to September 2024).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Domestic demand\u00a0<\/strong>increased 0.9% compared to September 2024. Capacity was up 1.1% year-on-year. The load factor was 83.0% (-0.1 ppt compared to September 2024).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
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\u201cSolid international demand drove 90% of September\u2019s 3.6% overall growth. Importantly, the capacity expansion slightly nudged ahead of demand growth at 3.7%. Load factors, nonetheless, remained very strong at 83.4%. With November flight schedules indicating a 3% expansion on the previous year, airlines are gearing up for continued growth into the year-end holiday season. This is despite the severe constraints of unresolved supply chain issues,\u201d said Willie Walsh, IATA\u2019s Director General.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Air passenger market in detail – September 2025 <\/strong><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
<\/td>
World share, %<\/strong>1<\/sup><\/em><\/td>
<\/td>
September 2025 (year-on-year, %)<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
RPK<\/td>
ASK<\/td>
PLF (%-pt)<\/td>
PLF (level)<\/td><\/tr><\/thead>
TOTAL MARKET<\/strong><\/strong><\/td>
100.0<\/strong><\/strong><\/td>
<\/td>
3.6<\/strong><\/strong><\/td>
3.7<\/strong><\/strong><\/td>
-0.1<\/strong><\/strong><\/td>
83.4<\/strong><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Africa<\/td>
2.2<\/td>
<\/td>
6.1<\/td>
6.9<\/td>
-0.6<\/td>
74.9<\/td><\/tr>
Asia-Pacific<\/td>
33.5<\/td>
<\/td>
5.3<\/td>
4.0<\/td>
1.1<\/td>
83.6<\/td><\/tr>
Europe<\/td>
26.7<\/td>
<\/td>
2.9<\/td>
3.3<\/td>
-0.3<\/td>
86.2<\/td><\/tr>
Latin America and Caribbean<\/td>
5.3<\/td>
<\/td>
5.4<\/td>
5.4<\/td>
0.0<\/td>
83.6<\/td><\/tr>
Middle East<\/td>
9.4<\/td>
<\/td>
6.2<\/td>
6.3<\/td>
-0.1<\/td>
81.8<\/td><\/tr>
North America<\/td>
22.9<\/td>
<\/td>
-0.1<\/td>
1.8<\/td>
-1.5<\/td>
81.2<\/td><\/tr>
1<\/sup><\/em> % of industry RPK in 2024<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Regional Breakdown – International Passenger Markets <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
International RPK growth reached 5.1% in September year-on-year, and growth was seen in all regions. The only region to show a significant load factor improvement was Asia-Pacific.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Asia-Pacific airlines <\/strong>achieved a 7.4% year-on-year increase indemand. Capacity increased 6.1% year-on-year, and the load factor was 83.3% (+1.0 ppt compared to September 2024). Intra-Asia travel was the strongest driver of growth with a 9.4% increase, led primarily by traffic from China and Japan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
European carriers <\/strong>had a 4.0% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity increased 4.4% year-on-year, and the load factor was 85.6% (-0.3 ppt compared to September 2024).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
North American carriers<\/strong> saw a 2.5% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity increased 4.3% year-on-year, and the load factor was 82.9% (-1.5 ppt compared to September 2024). The North America-Asia corridor showed weak growth of just 0.9%. By contrast, North America-South America traffic bounced back from its August decline, with growth of 1.1%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Middle Eastern carriers <\/strong>saw a 6.3% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity increased 6.2% year-on-year, and the load factor was 81.9% (unchanged compared to September 2024).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Latin American airlines <\/strong>saw a 5.3% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity climbed 6.8% year-on-year. The load factor was 83.3% (-1.2 ppt compared to September 2024).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
African airlines <\/strong>saw a 5.3% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity was up 5.1% year-on-year. The load factor was 74.7% (+0.1 ppt compared to September 2024).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Domestic Passenger Markets <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Domestic RPK rose 0.9% over September 2024 and load factor fell by 0.1 ppt to 83.0% on the back of a 1.1% capacity expansion. Brazil continues to lead the way with a double-digit expansion. By contrast, the decline in US domestic travel accelerated to -1.7% and its load factor is the weakest of the major domestic markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Air passenger market in detail – September 2025 <\/strong><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
<\/td>
World share, %<\/strong>1<\/sup><\/em><\/td>
<\/td>
September 2025 (year-on-year, %)<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
RPK<\/td>
ASK<\/td>
PLF (%-pt)<\/td>
PLF (level)<\/td><\/tr><\/thead>
Domestic<\/strong><\/strong><\/td>
38.2<\/strong><\/strong><\/td>
<\/td>
0.9<\/strong><\/strong><\/td>
1.1<\/strong><\/strong><\/td>
-0.1<\/strong><\/strong><\/td>
83.0<\/strong><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Dom. Australia<\/td>
0.8<\/td>
<\/td>
1.3<\/td>
5.3<\/td>
-3.2<\/td>
81.7<\/td><\/tr>
Dom. Brazil<\/td>
1.1<\/td>
<\/td>
12.1<\/td>
10.0<\/td>
1.6<\/td>
84.4<\/td><\/tr>
Dom. China P.R.<\/td>
11.3<\/td>
<\/td>
5.0<\/td>
3.2<\/td>
1.4<\/td>
84.2<\/td><\/tr>
Dom. India<\/td>
1.7<\/td>
<\/td>
-0.7<\/td>
1.5<\/td>
-1.9<\/td>
81.1<\/td><\/tr>
Dom. Japan<\/td>
1.0<\/td>
<\/td>
3.3<\/td>
-0.8<\/td>
3.4<\/td>
84.9<\/td><\/tr>
Dom. United States<\/td>
14.4<\/td>
<\/td>
-1.7<\/td>
0.1<\/td>
-1.5<\/td>
80.2<\/td><\/tr>
1<\/sup><\/em> % of industry RPK in 2024<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n