Demand for air travel reached record levels in 2024 and airlines achieved their best-ever load factors, according to statistics.
The International Air Transport Association (Iata) found revenue passenger kilometres rose by 10.4% last year compared with 2023 and by 3.8% compared with pre-pandemic 2019.
Total capacity, measured in available seat kilometres, was up 8.7% and the overall load factor reached 83.5%.
More: Global airline revenues to surpass $1 trillion in 2025, Iata forecasts
Iata director general Willie Walsh (pictured) said last year’s figures “made it absolutely clear that people want to travel”.
He added: “Looking to 2025, there is every indication that demand for travel will continue to grow, albeit at a moderated pace of 8% that is more aligned with historical averages.”
International full-year traffic in 2024 increased 13.6% compared with 2023, while capacity rose 12.8%, with domestic full-year traffic increasing by 5.7% and capacity expanding by 2.5%.
Demand in December alone rose 8.6% year on year, while capacity grew by 5.6%. International demand rose by 10.6% and domestic demand by 5.5%, with the load factor reaching 84% – a record for the month.
Walsh said: “With 10.4% demand growth, travel reached record numbers domestically and internationally.
“Airlines met that strong demand with record efficiency. On average, 83.5% of all seats on offer were filled – a new record high, partially attributable to the supply chain constraints that limited capacity growth.
“Aviation growth reverberates across societies and economies at all levels through jobs, market development, trade, innovation, exploration and much more.”
Walsh said Wednesday night’s deadly crash in Washington DC between an American Airlines aircraft and a military helicopter served as a reminder that “safety needs our continuous efforts”.
“Our thoughts are with all those affected,” he added. “We will never cease our work to make aviation ever safer.”
He also outlined airlines’ “firm commitment” to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 and called for SAF costs to fall.
He said: “While airlines invested record amounts in purchases of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in 2024, less than 0.5% of fuel needs were met with SAF.
“SAF is in short supply and costs must come down. Governments could fortify their national energy security and unblock this problem by prioritising renewable fuel production from which SAF is derived.
“In addition to securing energy supplies and increasing the SAF supply, diverting a fraction of the subsidies given for fossil fuel extraction to support renewable energy capacity would also boost prosperity through economic expansion and job creation.”