Air travel demand continues to recover in 2023, based on the latest global traffic results of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) released last night, March 8.
Total traffic in January 2023 (measured in revenue passenger kilometers or RPKs) rose 67.0 percent compared to January 2022. Globally, traffic is now at 84.2 percent of January 2019 levels.
Domestic traffic for January 2023 rose 32.7 percent compared to the year-ago period, helped by the lifting of the zero-COVID policy in China. Total January 2023 domestic traffic was at 97.4 percent of the January 2019 level.
International traffic climbed 104.0 percent versus January 2022 with all markets recording strong growth, led by carriers in the Asia-Pacific region. International RPKs reached 77.0 percent of January 2019 levels.
“Air travel demand is off to a very healthy start in 2023. The rapid removal of COVID-19 restrictions for Chinese domestic and international travel bodes well for the continued strong industry recovery from the pandemic throughout the year," says Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.
"And, importantly, we have not seen the many economic and geopolitical uncertainties of the day dampening demand for travel,” he added.
Asia-Pacific airlines posted a 376.3 percent increase in January traffic compared to January 2022, by far the strongest year-over-year rate among the regions, but off of a very low base when much of the region was still closed to travel.
Capacity rose 167.1 percent and the load factor increased 36.6 percentage points to 83.3 percent, the highest among the regions.
Middle Eastern airlines’ January traffic rose 97.7 percent compared to January a year ago. Capacity increased 45.9 percent and load factor climbed 20.8 percentage points to 79.2 percent.
European carriers saw a 60.6 percent traffic rise versus January 2022. Capacity increased 30.1 percent, and load factor rose 14.2 percentage points to 75.0 percent.
North American carriers reported an 82.4 percent traffic increase in January versus the 2022 period. Capacity rose 37.3 percent and load factor climbed 19.7 percentage points to 79.6 percent.
Latin American airlines had a 46.8 percent traffic increase compared to the same month in 2022. January capacity climbed 34.3 percent and load factor rose 7.1 percentage points to 82.7 percent, the second highest among the regions.
African airlines’ traffic rose 124.8 percent in January 2023 versus a year ago. January capacity was up 82.5 percent and load factor climbed 13.9 percentage points to 73.7 percent, the lowest among regions.
In the Domestic Passenger Market, Australia’s traffic rose 107.3 percent in January compared to a year ago and now stands at 88.8 percent of pre-pandemic levels.
China’s domestic RPKs rose 37.2 percent in January, the first month over month annual increase since August 2022 and is now at 86.3 percent of January 2019 levels.