All regions showed strong growth for international passenger markets in April 2024 compared to April 2023. The load factor increased to a two-year high, and capacity increases were well-matched to demand, as per IATA.
Total global air passenger demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPKs), went up 11.0% compared to April 2023, as per the recent statistics revealed by International Air Transport Association (IATA). Total capacity, measured in available seat kilometers (ASK), was up 9.6% year-on-year.
The April load factor was 82.4% (+1.0ppt compared to April 2023).
The data released for April 2024 by IATA also mentions that the international demand rose 15.8% compared to April 2023; capacity was up 14.8% year-on-year and the load factor improved to 82.2% (+0.7ppt on April 2023).
Domestic demand rose 4.0% compared to April 2023; capacity was up 2.1% year-on-year and the load factor was 82.6% (+1.5ppt compared to April 2023).
“Passenger demand has been growing 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 Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.
The IATA Passenger Survey also revealed 88% agreement that ‘air travel makes my life better’.
“That’s an important motivation as our members gather for the IATA Annual General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit in Dubai next week. This strong endorsement of the power of air connectivity to transform lives and boost economies brings with it a challenge that will also be on the minds of all attending. It is critically important that we achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050 so that people can continue to rely on all the benefits of air travel,” said Walsh.
Regional Breakdown – International Passenger Markets
All regions showed strong growth for international passenger markets in April 2024 compared to April 2023. The load factor increased to a two-year high, and capacity increases were well-matched to demand, as per IATA.
Asia-Pacific airlines continue to lead the way, with a 32.1% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity increased 29.3% year-on-year and the load factor rose to 83.7% (+1.7ppt compared to April 2023). Traffic flows from the Middle East and Africa to Asia are notably strong.
European carriers saw a 10.1% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity increased 10.0% year-on-year, and the load factor was 83.3% (up just 0.1ppt compared to April 2023). International routes from Europe have surpassed pre-COVID levels to all regions except Africa.
Middle Eastern airlines saw a 14.2% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity increased 9.9% year-on-year and the load factor increased +3.0ppt to 79.3% compared to April 2023.
North American carriers saw a 6.5% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity increased 10.3% year-on-year, and the load factor fell to 81.0% (-2.9ppt compared to April 2023).
Latin American airlines saw a 14.5% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity climbed 13.5% year-on-year. The load factor rose to 84.1% (+0.7ppt compared to April 2023), the highest among the regions.
African airlines saw an 15.5% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity was up 10.4% year-on-year. The load factor rose to 73.0% (+3.2ppt compared to April 2023).
Domestic markets: India sees 2.7% jump in RPK
Domestic demand increased at a slower pace in April.
In April 2024, the air passenger market saw varied performance across different regions, with India’s domestic market, which holds a 1.8% share of the global air passenger market, experiencing a 2.7% year-on-year increase in Revenue Passenger Kilometers (RPK) and a 4.7% rise in Available Seat Kilometers (ASK). However, its Passenger Load Factor (PLF) dropped by 1.7 percentage points to 86.6%.
Other notable markets included Australia with a 0.8% global share, showing a 6.9% increase in RPK and an 8.8% rise in ASK, but a decline in PLF by 1.4 percentage points to 79.2%. Brazil, holding a 1.2% share, saw RPK grow by 6.5% and ASK by 7.2%, with PLF decreasing by 0.5 percentage points to 76.9%.
China’s growth rate moderated to 4.2% reflecting the end of the holiday surge. Japan’s almost flat performance is explained by the end of the fiscal year and the start of the school spring holiday. Overall, Japan’s RPK trend remains positive.
The United States, the largest domestic market with a 15.4% global share, had a 3.2% increase in RPK and a 6.4% rise in ASK, but its PLF fell by 2.6 percentage points to 83.5%.
