African airlines recorded 2.8% growth in passenger demand for July 2025, according to new data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
The report released on Friday showed that capacity rose by 2.3% year-on-year, while load factor reached 74.9%, a 0.4 percentage point increase. IATA attributed the expansion mainly to stronger traffic on Africa–Asia routes.
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Globally, total passenger demand rose 4.0% in July, with capacity up 3.9% and load factor at 85.5%. The Asia-Pacific region led growth with 8.7%, followed by Latin America at 9.3%. North America and Europe posted moderate gains.
IATA Director General Willie Walsh noted that the steady recovery across Africa underscores the region’s resilience. He added that rising utilization of aircraft and improved connectivity are helping airlines balance operational challenges.
The data highlights Africa’s growing role in global air travel, with carriers leveraging cross-continental routes to sustain traffic growth.
