African airlines recorded a standout performance in May 2025, registering a 9.5% year-on-year increase in international air travel demand, according to new data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
The continent’s carriers not only outpaced most global regions in passenger growth but also achieved the highest improvement in seat occupancy, or load factor, climbing 2.2 percentage points to 74.9%—the strongest load factor gain worldwide for the month.
The sharp rise in demand on the Africa–Asia corridor, which surged by 15.9% year-on-year, was singled out by IATA as the fastest-growing international route globally in May. This resurgence reflects rising trade and tourism ties between the two regions, with increasing flight frequencies and expanded partnerships driving up connectivity.
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To meet the momentum, African airlines scaled up capacity by 6.2%, a move seen as both bold and measured. This ensured that rising passenger volumes were matched with available seats, avoiding the kind of overcapacity that plagued some other regions.
“African airlines saw a 9.5% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity was up 6.2% year-on-year. The load factor was 74.9% (+2.2 ppt compared to May 2024). Africa-Asia is the fastest-growing international corridor, with an expansion of 15.9%,” the IATA report stated.
Strong Global Trends, With Africa and Asia-Pacific Leading
Globally, international passenger demand rose 6.7% in May compared to the same period in 2024, with available seat capacity increasing by 6.4%. This pushed the international load factor to a record 83.2% for the month of May.
When both international and domestic markets are considered, global air travel demand and capacity each grew by 5.0%, although the average load factor slipped slightly to 83.4%.
IATA Director General Willie Walsh noted that Asia-Pacific led the global recovery, boasting a 13.3% growth in international demand, supported by a 10.6% rise in capacity. The region’s load factor hit 84.0%, up 2.0 percentage points compared to the previous year.
Walsh emphasized that while recovery continues, the pace is uneven. He flagged ongoing geopolitical tensions—especially in the Middle East—as a persistent risk to travel demand. However, he added that low oil prices and robust forward bookings heading into the summer suggest strong near-term momentum.
Mixed Performance in Other Regions
While Africa and Asia-Pacific showed strength, other regions delivered more tempered results:
- Latin America: Carriers posted an 8.8% rise in international demand, but a sharper 11.0% increase in capacity led to a lower load factor of 83.6%, reflecting potential overcapacity.
- Middle East: Demand rose 6.2%, closely tracking the 6.3% growth in capacity, keeping the load factor relatively flat at 80.9%.
- Europe: A 4.1% rise in demand was matched by a 4.8% increase in capacity, resulting in a slight drop in load factor to 84.0%, down 0.6 percentage points year-on-year.
- North America: The region posted the weakest growth, with just 1.4% growth in international demand and a 1.7% capacity increase, pushing the load factor down to 83.8%.
Africa’s Aviation Resilience Shows
The resilience of African aviation is underscored not just by rising demand but also by more disciplined capacity management and growing intercontinental ties. Analysts say this is likely the result of more coordinated airline strategies, improving infrastructure, and a rise in tourism and business travel across East and West Africa, as well as growing air traffic with China, India, and Southeast Asia.
The Africa–Asia route is increasingly vital, especially as several African governments promote new visa-free travel policies and bilateral air service agreements with Asian countries. The corridor is also being fueled by cargo operations, as trade volumes rebound after a slowdown in 2023.
Looking ahead, aviation experts see the potential for further gains if African carriers continue to modernize fleets, invest in service improvements, and expand route networks through alliances and codeshares.
For now, May’s performance stands as a positive signal for a continent that has long struggled with underinvestment and low interconnectivity in its aviation sector. The latest IATA figures suggest African aviation is not just recovering post-pandemic—it is beginning to thrive.