Global air travel has gradually returned to its previous momentum. Demand for air travel in November 2023 regained 99 percent of 2019 pre-COVID-19 levels. That is according to air travel performance data issued by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Total travel traffic
IATA revealed that total air travel traffic in November 2023 (measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometers) increased by 29.7 percent compared to the same month of the previous year. Meanwhile, global travel traffic has now reached 99.1 percent of November 2019 levels.
International air travel rose by 26.4 percent compared to November 2022. Notably, the Asia-Pacific region continued to record the strongest results year-on-year (+63.8 percent), with all regions showing improvement compared to the previous year. Moreover, the total number of international passengers in November 2023 reached 94.5 percent of November 2019 levels.
Meanwhile, domestic air travel traffic in November 2023 increased by 34.8 percent compared to November 2022. Additionally, domestic traffic in November 2023 recorded 6.7 percent higher than November 2019 levels.
Travel growth
China saw strong growth of 272 percent, as it recovered from travel restrictions imposed by COVID-19 that were still in place until last year. Meanwhile, domestic air travel in the United States reached a new high, rising by 9.1 percent compared to November 2019.
“We are moving ever closer to surpassing the 2019 peak year for air travel. Economic headwinds are not deterring people from taking to the skies. International travel remains 5.5% below pre-pandemic levels but that gap is rapidly closing,” Willie Walsh, IATA’s director general said.
Traffic in Asia
Airlines in the Asia-Pacific region achieved a 63.8 percent increase in air travel traffic in November 2023 compared to November 2022. That is the strongest year-on-year growth compared to other regions. Moreover, capacity rose by 58 percent and the load factor or capacity utilization was up 2.9 percentage points to 82.6 percent.
Traffic in Europe
Air travel traffic for European airlines increased in November 2023 by 14.8 percent compared to the same month of the year prior. Meanwhile, capacity increased by 15.2 percent, and load factor decreased by 0.3 percentage points to 83.3 percent.
Traffic in the Middle East
Airlines in the Middle East saw an air travel traffic increase of 18.6 percent in November 2023 compared to November 2022. While capacity in November increased by 19.0 percent compared to the same period last year and load factor decreased by 0.2 percent to 77.4 percent.
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Traffic in America
North American airlines also saw an air travel traffic increase of 14.3 percent in November compared to 2022. Additionally, capacity increased by 16.3 percent and load factor fell by 1.4 percent to 80 percent.
Meanwhile, Latin American air traffic in November rose by 20 percent compared to November 2022. Whereas capacity rose by 17.7 percent and load factor increased by 1.7 percentage points to 84.9 percent. This is the highest percentage ever recorded in any region.
Traffic in Africa
African airlines achieved a 22.1 percent increase in passenger kilometers in November compared to 2022. Meanwhile, capacity in November 2023 rose by 29.6 percent and load factor fell by 4.3 percentage points to 69.7 percent, the lowest among the regions.
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