Global air travel soars in 2024 as IATA releases latest World Air Transport Statistics Report

August 5, 2025 in Business, Companies, Travel & Tourism by Editor

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released its 2024 World Air Transport Statistics (WATS) report, offering a comprehensive view of the global aviation sector’s performance. Drawing from over 240 airlines, the report confirms a strong post-pandemic rebound, with solid growth in both premium and economy passenger segments, a resurgence of intra-regional travel in Asia-Pacific, and a continued dominance of narrowbody aircraft in global operations.

One of the key highlights from the report is the 11.8pc growth in international premium class travel, slightly outpacing economy travel growth at 11.5pc. In total, 116.9 million travellers flew business or first class, representing 6pc of all international passengers in 2024.

Regional trends reveal divergent dynamics. Asia-Pacific posted the fastest growth, with premium travel increasing by 22.8pc, driven by China’s resurgence and the return of regional business travel. However, economy traffic in the region surged by an even higher 28.6pc, reaching 500.8 million passengers. In contrast, Europe remained the largest market for premium travel, with 39.3 million premium passengers, while the Middle East had the highest premium penetration, where 14.7pc of passengers flew in premium cabins.

Jeju–Seoul Tops Busiest Routes

Asia-Pacific also dominated global airport-pair rankings, with Jeju–Seoul (CJU–GMP) emerging as the world’s busiest route at 13.2 million passengers in 2024. The only non-Asia-Pacific route in the global top 10 was Jeddah–Riyadh (JED–RUH) in the Middle East.

Elsewhere, Bogota–Medellin (BOG–MDE) led Latin America with 3.8 million passengers, Cape Town–Johannesburg (JNB–CPT) topped Africa at 3.3 million, and New York JFK–Los Angeles (JFK–LAX) was North America’s busiest with 2.2 million. In Europe, Barcelona–Palma de Mallorca (BCN–PMI) took the lead with 2 million travellers.

Narrowbodies Still Reign

On the fleet side, narrowbody aircraft remain the backbone of global airline operations. The Boeing 737 family logged 10 million flights and 2.4 trillion Available Seat Kilometers (ASKs). The Airbus A320 registered 7.9 million flights, 1.7 trillion ASKs) while the Airbus A321 (3.4 million flights, 1.1 trillion ASKs), underscoring the continued reliance on single-aisle jets for short- and medium-haul markets.

US and China Top Passenger Markets

The United States retained its position as the world’s largest aviation market, with 876 million passengers in 2024, buoyed by a robust domestic network and steady economic growth. China followed closely with 741 million passengers, marking a significant 18.7pc increase over 2023.

With industry-wide operating and financial data also included, the 2024 WATS report provides a granular snapshot of global aviation’s recovery trajectory, cost structures, revenue patterns, and employment trends. As the airline industry continues to navigate capacity constraints, shifting business models, and evolving consumer demand, this year’s statistics affirm a continued path toward growth and resilience.