Passenger demand was up 4% in July 2025, according to data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Capacity was up 4.4% in the month, while load factor averaged at 85.5%, down 0.4 percentage points.
International demand rose 5.3%, while capacity was up 5.8% and load factor was down 0.4 percentage points to 85.6%.
Domestic demand and capacity was up 1.9% and 2.4%, respectively. Load factor was also down 0.4 percentage points to 85.2%.
“Momentum has grown over the peak season with July demand reaching 4% growth,” IATA director general Willie Walsh. “That trend appears across all regions and is particularly evident for international travel, which strengthened from 3.9% growth in June to 5.3% in July.”
In addition, IATA said air cargo in July was up 5.5% and up 6% for international operations. Air cargo capacity was up 3.9% in the month and up 4.5% for international operations.
“A sharp decline in e-commerce, as the US de minimis exemptions on small shipments expired, was likely offset by shippers frontloading goods in advance of rising tariffs for imports to the US,” said Walsh. “August will likely reveal more clearly the impact of shifting US trade policies. While much attention is rightly being focused on developments in markets connected to the US, it is important to keep a broad perspective on the global network.”