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

• Total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK), was up 8.0% compared to April 2024. Total capacity, measured in available seat kilometers (ASK), was up 6.5% year-on-year. The April load factor was 83.6% (+1.1 ppt compared to April 2024).

• International demand rose 10.8% compared to April 2024. Capacity was up 8.5% year-on-year, and the load factor was 84.1% (+1.7 ppt compared to April 2024), the highest ever for April.

• Domestic demand increased 3.3% compared to April 2024. Capacity was up 3.1% year-on-year. The load factor was 82.7% (+0.1 ppt compared to April 2024).

Regional Breakdown 

International Markets 

International RPK growth accelerated to 10.8% in April year-on-year, with growth in all regions and load factors increasing everywhere except a slight fall in Latin America. Africa resumed growth after two months of declines, and North American international RPK grew (+5.4%), but suffered a 26% fall in First and Business class travel.

 Domestic Markets

Domestic RPK rose 3.3% over April 2024 and load factor increased just 0.1 ppt to 82.7% on the back of 3.1% capacity expansion. Domestic US traffic was the only market to contract (-0.5%) for a third straight month of decline, while India and Brazil expanded at a double-digit pace. India’s capacity expansion was even faster, leading to a slight fall in load factor, but its PLF is still the highest of the major domestic markets.