Saturday, February 1, 2025 A joint report by Airports Council International (ACI) World and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) highlights the resurgence of global air passenger traffic, surpassing pre-pandemic levels in 2024 and reaching 9.5 billion passengers (104% of 2019 levels) . The industry continues its upward trajectory, with long-term forecasts predicting 19.
5 billion passengers by 2042 and 244% of 2019 levels by 2050 . The pandemic caused a severe 61% decline in global passenger traffic in 2020 , with 5.5 billion fewer passengers (ACI World) and 5.
8 trillion RPK lost (ICAO). However, by 2023, traffic rebounded to 95% of 2019 levels , with international travel accelerating recovery. According to ICAO and ACI World , total passengers increased by 11% year-on-year (YoY) in June 2024 , with international air traffic driving growth at 17% YoY , outpacing domestic gains.
Global air travel is rebounding at a strong pace, with Asia-Pacific and Middle Eastern markets driving long-term expansion. As aviation continues to recover, ACI World and ICAO remain pivotal in shaping industry policies for sustainable and efficient air travel growth..