The International Air Transport Association (IATA) finds in its latest set of data for November that global passenger demand increased by 5.7% year-on-year, as measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPK).

Total capacity, which is measured in available seat kilometres, increased by 5.4% year-on-year.

The load factor was 83.7%, which increased by 0.3 percentage points compared with November 2024 and marked a record high for the month.  

Moreover, IATA reports that international demand increased by 7.7% year-on-year, while capacity was 7.1% higher year-on-year, with the load factor having been 84% and 0.4 percentage points higher compared with November 2024.

Domestic demand increased by 2.7% year-on-year, with capacity having been 2.7% higher year-on-year. The domestic load factor was 83.2%, which was unchanged compared with November 2024.  

IATA explains that November 2025 saw continued strong demand for air travel with year-on-year growth of 5.7%. “Load factors reached a new record of 83.7% for the month as airlines continued to satisfy growing passenger demand amid continuing capacity constraints stemming from challenges in the aerospace supply chain.”

IATA suggests the new year’s resolution for the manufacturing sector must be to increase production to meet the needs of their airline customers.

The backlog of more than 17 000 aircraft orders that was reached in 2025 must be reduced this year, highlights IATA director-general Willie Walsh.

International RPK grew by a “healthy” 7.7% in November year-on-year. The international load factor, at 84.0%, was also a November record high.

Compared with October, growth was slightly down in all regions except Africa.

According to IATA, African airlines were the stand-out performer in the month, with an 11.2% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity in this region increased by 8.5% year-on-year, with the load factor having increased by 1.8 percentage points to 74.3%. was up 8.5% year-on-year. T

Domestic RPK increased by 2.7% year-on-year and load factor was steady at 83.2% on the back of a 2.7% capacity expansion.

Brazil and India were the fastest-growing markets in November, with the domestic US market having been the only one to experience a fall in demand owing to a government shutdown.

Asia-Pacific airlines achieved a 9.3% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity increased by 8.7% year-on-year, and the load factor was 85.8% - 0.5 percentage points higher compared with November 2024.

IATA says geopolitical tensions led to traffic between China and Japan slowing to single-digit growth for the first time in 2025.

European carriers had a 6.8% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity increased 6.1% year-on-year, and the load factor was 85.6% - which marked a 0.5 percentage point increase compared with November 2024.

In turn, North American carriers saw a 4% year-on-year increase in demand, while capacity increased by 4.2% year-on-year; with the load factor having been 81.0%, slightly lower compared with November 2024.

North America has seen ten consecutive months of year-on-year declines in load factor.  

IATA finds that Middle Eastern carriers had a 9.6% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity in this region increased by 9.2% year-on-year, with the load factor having reached 81.4%, marking a 0.3 percentage point increase compared with November 2024.  

Latin American airlines had demand increase by 4.4% year-on-year increase, with capacity also rising by 4.7% year-on-year. The load factor in this region was 83.9% - about 0.2 percentage points lower compared with November 2024.