IATA
01 May 2025

In this edition of the IATA Sustainability & Economics Newsletter - March 2025:

Market Analysis March 2025

Air Passenger

Single-digit growth extended to March

  • Industry-wide Revenue Passenger Kilometers (RPK) continued to grow at a modest pace, posting a 3.3% year-onyear (YoY) increase in March to reach 738.8 billion.
  • The Passenger Load Factor (PLF) declined to 80.7% on average, reflecting weakness across both domestic and international markets.
  • Domestic air travel posted a marginal gain of less than 1%, weighed down by declines in the US and Australian markets.
  • International RPK increased 4.9% YoY, despite softness among carriers in Middle East and North America.
  • Published flight schedules suggest that airline flight activity continues to grow in April and May.

Air Cargo

Demand for air cargo resumes

  • The industry’s air cargo demand, measured in Cargo-Tonne-Kilometers (CTK), climbed 4.4% YoY in March, returning from February’s brief, mild decline. Seasonally adjusted, CTK rose by 3.3% from February 2025, also reversing February’s soft fall.
  • International CTK saw a rise of 5.5% YoY, with most regions and routes posting single-digit gains. Asia Pacific airlines led with 9.6% YoY growth. The Europe-North America trade lanes recorded an 8.5% increase, while the Africa-Asia route sank for a fourth consecutive month, down 40.2% YoY.
  • Global available cargo space, Available Cargo Tonne-Kilometers (ACTK), expanded by 4.3% from last March, while capacity utilization, Cargo Load Factor (CLF), ended up by 0.1 points to 47.5% from March 2024.
  • Jet fuel costs dropped by 17.3% YoY, marking nine straight months of yearly decline, while cargo revenue rates climbed by 3.8% yearly and 6.6% from February.

Publications

  • CDR technologies explained
  • LCA methodology on single-use plastic products

Most read Chart of the Week

  • US tariffs are now at the highest rate since the Great Depression

Upcoming Events

  • FlyAware Insight Session: IATA TrackZero Benefits and Enhancements, 7 May 2025, 13:30 CEST
  • IATA Aviation Energy Forum, 13-15 May 2025, Baku, Azerbaijan
  • IATA World Sustainability Symposium, 21-22 October 2025, Hong Kong (SAR), China

Newsletter:  IATA Sustainability & Economics Newsletter March 2025 - IATA - 01 May 2025.pdf

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