The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for May 2025 global passenger demand with the following highlights:

•    Total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK), was up 5.0% compared to May 2024. Total capacity, measured in available seat kilometers (ASK), was also up 5.0% year-on-year. The May load factor was 83.4% (-0.1 ppt compared to May 2024).

•    International demand rose 6.7% compared to May 2024. Capacity was up 6.4% year-on-year, and the load factor was 83.2% (+0.2 ppt compared to May 2024). This is a record load factor on international flights for May.

•    Domestic demand increased 2.1% compared to May 2024. Capacity was up 2.8% year-on-year. The load factor was 83.7% (-0.5 ppt compared to May 2024).

Regional Breakdown - International Markets 

International RPK growth reached 6.7% in May year-on-year, with growth in all regions but a mixed picture on load-factors, which increased only by 0.2 ppt. Traffic expansion on most key international routes to the Americas slowed in May, apart from Transatlantic with a modest 2.5% year-on-year increase.

Domestic Markets

Domestic RPK rose 2.1% over May 2024 and load factor fell by -0.5 ppt to 83.7% on the back of a 2.8% capacity expansion. All regions showed growth except in the United States, due to economic slowdown and reductions in government travel. Chinese domestic travel growth accelerated, as it has been doing every month since March. Also notable is Brazil’s strong growth, on the back of unbroken expansion since January 2023.