Air passenger market in detail – June 2024

31 July 2024       No. 36

Geneva – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for June 2024 global passenger demand with the following highlights:

• Total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK), was up 9.1% compared to June 2023. Total capacity, measured in available seat kilometers (ASK), was up 8.5% year-on-year. The June load factor was 85.0% (+0.5 percentage points (ppt) compared to June 2023).
• International demand rose 12.3% compared to June 2023. Capacity was up 12.7% year-on-year and the load factor improved to 85.0% (-0.3ppt on June 2023).
• Domestic demand rose 4.3% compared to June 2023; capacity was up 2.1% year-on-year and the load factor was 85.0% (+1.7ppt compared to June 2023).

“Demand grew across all regions as the peak Northern summer travel season began in June. And with overall capacity growth lagging demand we saw a very strong average load factor of 85% achieved in both domestic and international operations. Operating with such high load factors is both good and challenging. It makes it even more important for all the stakeholders to operate with equal levels of efficiency to minimize delays and get travelers to their destinations on schedule,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

 

“As the Olympic Games unfold in Paris there is pride across the aviation industry for its continuing role in supporting the Olympic story by bringing many of the athletes, fans, and officials together. It is a great reminder of how aviation transforms our very big world into a global community. We wish France every success as the host of the games and cheer all the athletes who will demonstrate the best of human endeavor over the next weeks,” said Walsh.

Air passenger market in detail – June 2024

(% year-on-year)            World share1     RPK        ASK        PLF (%-pt)           PLF (level)

Total Market      100%     9.1%      8.5%      +0.5%    85.0%

Africa    2.1%      16.2%    5.8%      +6.9%    77.1%

Asia Pacific          31.7%    12.5%    9.4%      +2.3%    82.9%

Europe 27.1%    8.1%      8.4%      -0.2%     87.7%

Latin America     5.5%      9.1%      7.3%      +1.4%    84.2%

Middle East        9.4%      9.9%      9.5%      +0.3%    79.5%

North America  24.2%    5.4%      7.3%      -1.6%     87.6%

1% of industry RPKs in 2023

Regional Breakdown – International Passenger Markets

All regions showed strong growth for international passenger markets in June 2024 compared to June 2023.

Asia-Pacific airlines’ growth remained strong, with a 22.6% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity increased 22.9% year-on-year and the load factor was 83.0% (-0.2ppt compared to June 2023). The Africa-Asia route was the fastest expanding regional pair, growing 38.1%.

European carriers saw a 9.1% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity increased 9.8% year-on-year, and the load factor was 87.4% (-0.6ppt compared to June 2023).

Middle Eastern airlines saw a 9.6% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity increased 9.4% year-on-year and the load factor was 79.7% (+0.1ppt compared to June 2023).

North American carriers saw a 6.6% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity increased 8.6% year-on-year, and the load factor was 88.7% (-1.6 ppt compared to June 2023), the highest among regions.

Latin American airlines saw a 15.3% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity climbed 15.6% year-on-year. The load factor was 85.1% (-0.2ppt compared to June 2023).

African airlines saw a 16.9% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity was up 5.8% year-on-year. The load factor rose to 77.0% (+7.4ppt compared to June 2023). This was the largest improvement in load factor among all regions.

Domestic markets

Domestic demand increased in June, with solid growth in most key markets, bar Japan and Australia. Brazil posted the largest gain with 7.6% year-on-year growth. Year-on-year June domestic ticket sales for July and August travel dipped -0.9%, pointing to a gradual moderation in demand back to pre-pandemic growth rates.

 

Air passenger market in detail – June 2024

June 2024

(% year-on-year)             World share1     RPK        ASK        PLF (%-pt)           PLF (level)

Domestic             39.9%    4.3%      2.1%      +1.7%    85.0%

Dom. Australia  0.8%      -1.0%     -1.2%     +0.2%    81.0%

Dom. Brazil         1.2%      7.6%      3.2%      +3.4%    82.3%

Dom. China P.R.                11.2%    5.5%      -2.0%     +5.9%    83.0%

Dom. India          1.8%      5.2%      9.6%      -3.6%     87.1%

Dom. Japan        1.1%      -0.2%     -0.2%     -0.1%     73.1%

Dom. US              15.4%    5.1%      7.1%      -1.7%     86.8%

1% of industry RPKs in 2023

Note: the six domestic passenger markets for which broken-down data are available account for approximately 31.4% of global total RPKs and 78.8% of total domestic RPKs

▪    IATA (International Air Transport Association) represents some 330 airlines comprising more than 80% of global air traffic.

▪    You can follow us at twitter.com/iata for announcements, policy positions, and other useful industry information.

▪    Fly Net Zero

▪    Statistics compiled by IATA Economics using direct airline reporting complemented by estimates, including the use of FlightRadar24 data provided under license.

▪    All figures are provisional and represent total reporting at time of publication plus estimates for missing data. Historic figures are subject to revision.

▪    Domestic RPKs accounted for about 39.9% of the total market in 2023. The six domestic markets in this report account for 31.4% of global RPKs.

▪    Explanation of measurement terms:

‒  RPK: Revenue Passenger Kilometers measures actual passenger traffic

‒  ASK: Available Seat Kilometers measures available passenger capacity

‒  PLF: Passenger Load Factor is % of ASKs used.

▪    IATA statistics cover international and domestic scheduled air traffic for IATA member and non-member airlines.

▪    Total passenger traffic market shares by region of carriers for 2023 in terms of RPK are: Asia- Pacific 31.7%, Europe 27.1%, North America 24.2%, Middle East 9.4%, Latin America 5.5%, and

Africa 2.1%.