Global air passenger growth slows in June on Middle East war

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for June 2025 global passenger demand showing air passenger growth slowed in June as a result of disruptions around military conflict in the Middle East.

“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,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

Total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPK), was up 2.6 percent compared to June 2024. Total capacity, measured in available seat kilometres (ASK), was also up 3.4 percent year-on-year. The June load factor was 84.5 percent (-0.6 ppt compared to June 2024).

International demand rose 3.2 percent compared to June 2024. Capacity was up 4.2 percent year-on-year, and the load factor was 84.4 percent (-0.8 ppt compared to June 2024).

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Domestic demand increased 1.6 percent compared to June 2024. Capacity was up 2.1 percent year-on-year. The load factor was 84.7 percent (-0.4 ppt compared to June 2024).

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.

African airlines saw a 0.3 percent year-on-year decrease in demand. Capacity was up 0.3 percent year-on-year. The load factor was 74.6 percent (-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.

Asia-Pacific airlines achieved a 7.2 percent year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity increased 7.5 percent year-on-year, and the load factor was 82.9 percent (-0.2 ppt compared to June 2024).

European carriers had a 2.8 percent year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity increased 3.3 percent year-on-year, and the load factor was 87.4 percent (-0.4 ppt compared to June 2024).

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers. She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay. She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos. As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender. She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies. Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category. She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category. She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations. Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.