Global demand for air travel continued its steady ascent in 2025, expanding by 5.3% compared to 2024, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The growth, measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs), signaled a return to long-term industry trends following the post-pandemic surge.

Airline capacity, tracked in available seat kilometres (ASKs), grew by 5.2% last year, while passenger load factors edged up to an all-time high of 83.6%, an increase of 0.1 percentage points from 2024.

Middle East Delivers Strong Traffic Growth

Carriers in the Middle East emerged as top performers in 2025, posting a 6.7% jump in traffic over the previous year. Capacity expanded by 5.8%, driving load factors up 0.7 percentage points to 81.6%. December wrapped up strongly, with a 9.5% year-on-year rise in regional demand.

International and Domestic Market Trends

On the international front, passenger demand for 2025 rose by 7.1%, alongside a 6.8% capacity gain. The global international load factor reached a record 83.5%, up slightly from the prior year.

Domestic travel growth remained more modest, with demand up 2.4% and capacity up 2.5%, producing an average load factor of 83.7%, down marginally by 0.1 points.

December concluded on a positive note, as overall traffic grew 5.6%, capacity increased 5.9%, and load factors held steady at 83.7%.

IATA: Focus on Sustainability and Supply Chains

“The 5.3% increase in air travel last year reflects the industry’s return to pre-pandemic growth norms,” IATA stated. “As we move forward, two key issues—decarbonization and supply chain stability—will define aviation’s ability to meet future demand.”

IATA emphasized that achieving climate goals requires clear policy support from governments to expand Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production and ensure energy sector collaboration.

Persistent supply chain disruptions were another hurdle for airlines in 2025, creating what IATA called "the industry's biggest frustration of the year.” Aircraft and engine delivery delays, maintenance backlogs, and related cost pressures—estimated at over $11 billion—forced airlines to extend fleet usage and increase seat occupancy.

“With aircraft nearly 84% full, these temporary fixes were effective but not sustainable,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General. “The industry needs lasting solutions. Ideally, 2025 marks the low point of the supply chain crisis, paving the way for recovery in 2026. Every new plane in service represents cleaner operations and greater capacity for passengers.”

Regional Highlights

Asia-Pacific airlines led global growth, reporting a 10.9% increase in international RPKs and a 10.2% rise in capacity. Their load factor climbed to 84.4%, the highest of any region.

Europe saw international demand increase 6.0%, with capacity up 5.9% and load factors holding at 84.1%.

North American carriers reported more modest figures, with traffic up 2.1% and capacity up 2.4%—the slowest growth among all regions. Load factors dipped slightly to 83.9%.

Latin American airlines recorded an 8.6% rise in annual traffic, but capacity growth outpaced demand at 10.2%, pulling load factors down 1.2 points to 83.6%.

African carriers achieved a 7.8% annual traffic increase with capacity up 6.5%, pushing load factors to a record 74.9%, the largest improvement among all regions despite being the lowest overall.

Domestic Market Performance

Domestic air travel also reached record highs in 2025, though growth moderated after the previous year’s rebound. Brazil topped the charts with an 11.1% rise in passenger traffic, while the United States experienced a 0.6% decline.

Japan posted the strongest improvement in load factor (+3.4 percentage points), in contrast to the U.S., where the load factor dropped by 1.9 points. India maintained the world’s highest domestic load factor at 85.2%, even with a small decrease. Australia recorded the lowest at a still-solid 81.2%.

Dubai Aviation City Corporation (DACC) has awarded a contract to develop an automated people mover (APM) system for the first phase of Al Maktoum International Airport, creating what is expected to be the world’s largest airport transit system of its kind.

The contract was awarded to a consortium comprising Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), its Dubai-based subsidiary MHI Mobility Engineering Services (MHI-MESC), and Indian engineering group Larsen and Toubro (L&T).

The APM network will extend approximately 50 kilometers and connect nine stations, making it significantly larger than existing airport people-mover systems.

MHI and MHI-MESC will oversee the design, procurement and testing of 165 vehicles, as well as signaling technology and overall system integration. L&T will be responsible for designing, procuring, testing and constructing the remaining subsystems on site.

The project is scheduled for completion in December 2031.

The scale of Dubai’s planned system will surpass existing airport transit networks, including the approximately 8-kilometer Skylink at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and The Plane Train at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

The APM network will connect Al Maktoum International Airport’s terminals and key facilities, helping improve passenger movement, reduce transfer times and support efficient airport operations.

The project forms part of Dubai’s broader plans to develop Al Maktoum International into one of the world’s largest aviation hubs. The airport is targeted to begin operations in 2032 and is ultimately expected to handle up to 260 million passengers annually.

The planned expansion is designed to accommodate growing regional and international air traffic while strengthening Dubai’s position as a major global aviation hub.

Source: Khaleej Times

Skyway Aviation Handling Company PLC (SAHCO) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening cooperation with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to improve the efficiency, security and smooth operation of airport and cargo activities.

The commitment was made during a SAHCO delegation’s visit to AC Adamu, the newly appointed Commander of the Customs Intelligence Unit (CIU) at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Ikeja, Lagos.

The visit focused on building on the existing relationship between SAHCO and the NCS through stronger communication, closer coordination and enhanced operational cooperation, particularly in the handling and movement of cargo.

Representing SAHCO Managing Director and CEO Adenike Aboderin, General Manager of Cargo Services Donald Adekunle welcomed the new CIU commander and pledged the company’s continued support for a professional and productive partnership with the Customs Service.

Adekunle said closer cooperation between the two organizations would help strengthen airport operations and improve coordination among key aviation stakeholders and government agencies.

He also emphasized the importance of inter-agency collaboration in facilitating efficient cargo movement, reinforcing security procedures and enhancing service delivery across Nigeria’s airports.

The renewed cooperation comes as aviation and government agencies continue to focus on improving cargo-handling processes and maintaining secure and efficient airport operations.

Source: ZAWYA

SHARJAH, UAE: Sharjah Airport has achieved Level 3 Airport Customer Experience Accreditation from Airports Council International (ACI), marking another milestone in its efforts to strengthen passenger services.

The airport first received Level 1 accreditation in 2022 before advancing to Level 2 in 2023 after establishing and implementing a customer experience strategy across its departments. It renewed its Level 2 status in 2025 and progressed to Level 3 in 2026.

Ali Salim Al Midfa, Chairman of Sharjah Airport Authority, said the latest accreditation reflected the airport’s focus on passenger satisfaction and its broader strategy to provide an integrated travel experience centered on quality and service excellence.

He said the achievement also supports Sharjah’s ambitions as a destination for travel, tourism and business.

According to Al Midfa, reaching Level 3 demonstrates the airport’s ability to collect and analyse passenger feedback and work with airport partners to turn that information into practical service improvements.

The accreditation assessment examined how the airport gathers and applies passenger feedback, coordinates with service providers and maintains a seamless passenger experience from arrival through departure.

As part of its progress toward Level 3, Sharjah Airport strengthened its customer feedback systems to better identify passenger expectations, pinpoint areas requiring improvement and respond more quickly to concerns.

The airport also increased coordination with airlines, ground-handling companies and other stakeholders to promote consistent service standards throughout the passenger journey.

Passenger satisfaction reports are now regularly distributed among airport departments, allowing teams to identify successful practices as well as areas requiring further attention. Employees across the airport community are also involved in improving passenger services, reinforcing shared responsibility for the overall travel experience.

ACI established its Airport Customer Experience Accreditation Programme to help airports assess and enhance passenger experience. The programme provides tools and expertise to help airports manage passenger journeys, develop improvement plans and identify opportunities to raise service quality.

Source: QCAA

DOHA, Qatar: Hamad International Airport (HIA) has reaffirmed its readiness to provide a smooth and comfortable arrival experience as passenger numbers increase in Doha following the summer holiday season.

In a statement issued Tuesday, the airport said it expects higher inbound traffic this August as students and families return ahead of the new academic year.

HIA has issued a series of guidelines designed to make arrival procedures easier and improve passenger convenience. Airport staff will remain available around the clock to assist travelers and their families, it said.

The guidance covers several aspects of the arrival process, including procedures for families traveling with young children and arrangements for meeting arriving passengers.

It also provides information on transportation options from the airport, including ride-hailing services, taxis, buses and the Doha Metro. Guidance on car rentals and baggage collection is also included.

The airport said the measures are intended to help passengers navigate the arrival process efficiently during the expected increase in traffic.

With August marking a key period for post-holiday travel, HIA is emphasizing operational preparedness and passenger support as more travelers return to Doha.

Source: QNA

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia: King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah handled approximately 28.55 million passengers on 169,900 flights between the beginning of 2026 and the end of July, according to an airport performance report.

The airport also processed 33.6 million bags during the seven-month period, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

The performance report was reviewed by Deputy Governor of Makkah Region Prince Saud bin Mishaal bin Abdulaziz during a meeting attended by Jeddah Airports Company CEO Mazen Johar.

The airport recorded its highest daily passenger traffic on January 17, when around 195,300 passengers passed through its facilities.

During the 1447 AH Umrah season, King Abdulaziz International Airport served approximately 6.16 million passengers on 36,400 flights and handled 7.2 million bags. More than 10,000 employees from various agencies were deployed at the airport during the season.

The report also highlighted the airport’s role during the 1447 AH Hajj season. More than 1.67 million pilgrims traveled through the airport during the arrival and departure phases, with more than 9,600 flights operated and approximately 2.76 million bags handled.

Ground transportation also played a significant role in moving pilgrims during Hajj. Buses carried around 821,700 pilgrims across 22,855 trips, while the Haramain High Speed Railway transported approximately 48,200 pilgrims on 207 trips.

The figures underscore the airport’s importance as a major gateway for pilgrims traveling to Saudi Arabia for Umrah and Hajj, as well as its role in handling growing passenger demand throughout the year.

Source: TradeArabia