Demand from air travelers jumped 3.6% worldwide in September 2025 compared to the same month last year, according to new statistics from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
The rate of monthly passenger growth slowed slightly in September compared to the peak summer months, which saw jumps in demand of 4% in July and 4.6% in August.
However, planes were full of passengers throughout the month, with a strong load factor of 83.4% around the globe. That metric held relatively steady compared to 2024, dipping just 0.1 percentage point.
Driving September’s growth was demand for international flights, which jumped by 5.1% year over year. “Solid international demand drove 90% of September’s 3.6% overall growth,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s director general.
Demand on international routes has been strong throughout 2025 and helped many U.S. airlines navigate a shaky domestic market amid economic uncertainty earlier in the year.
In fact, the North American market was still one of the softest in September, showing a slightly negative growth rate of -0.1%, according to IATA’s data. That indicates that U.S. airlines are still being cautious about adding flights and larger planes on existing routes this fall after slashing capacity earlier in the year to mitigate shrinking demand.
Global airline capacity for the month was just ahead of passenger demand, showing 3.7% growth, while capacity growth in North America was the lowest of any region in the world at just 1.8%.
However, that metric could see a big jump at the end of the year as busy holiday travel takes off. “With November flight schedules indicating a 3% expansion on the previous year, airlines are gearing up for continued growth into the year-end holiday season,” Walsh said. “This is despite the severe constraints of unresolved supply chain issues.”
But it’s not clear whether airlines can rely on the usual holiday traffic boost they see every year in November and December. According to a recent Bankrate survey, only 21% of American adults say they plan to fly or stay in a hotel during the holiday season, a 6% dip from 2024.
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