Preliminary traffic figures for the entire year of 2024, released by the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA), indicate robust growth in international air passenger and cargo sectors.

Asia Pacific airlines transported a total of 365.0 million international passengers in 2024, marking a 30.5% increase compared to 2023. This growth was backed by expanded flight frequencies and a rising demand for travel.

Key Highlights:

• Revenue Passenger Kilometres (RPK) rose by 28.0%, showcasing strength on regional routes.
• The average international passenger load factor increased by 0.9 percentage points to 81.6% despite a 26.6% hike in available seat capacity.

Cargo services also showed a healthy upward trend, climbing by 14.9%, outpacing a 14.6% increase in available freight capacity. The average freight load factor increased by 0.2 percentage points to 61.0%.

Subhas Menon, AAPA Director General, stated, “2024 was a strong year for Asia Pacific airlines. The post-pandemic recovery on North East Asia routes, helped by the relaxation of visa policies, together with overall healthy demand across the region, drove growth in both leisure and business travel markets."

Menon added that despite some economic challenges, airlines are optimistic for 2025, though they need to manage rising operational costs and supply chain issues.