African airlines recorded a 7.3 per cent year-on-year increase in passenger demand in October 2025, according to the latest data released by the International Air Transport Association.

The growth highlights the continued recovery and resilience of the region’s aviation sector.

Capacity for African carriers also increased, rising 5.3 per cent year-on-year, while the load factor improved to 74.1 per cent, up 1.4 percentage points compared to October 2024.

The report noted that global air travel is experiencing broad growth: “October was a strong month for air travel, with demand up 6.6 per cent on the previous year. Of particular note is the 4.5 per cent international traffic growth for carriers based in North America, which comes after several months of basically flat performance.

“The trends for the rest of the year look encouraging: scheduled seat capacity in November is set to expand 3.6 per cent and in December by 4.7 per cent.

 This points to strong demand for holiday travel and businesses looking to complete deals by the end of the year.

“Considering the uncertainty in the economic outlook for 2026, the resilience of demand for air travel, with the jobs and growth it brings, is a bright spot that governments should nurture with care,” said IATA’s Director-General, Willie Walsh.

Regionally, European carriers also recorded strong performance, with a 7.4 per cent increase in demand, capacity up 6.0 per cent, and a load factor of 86.5 per cent (+1.2 percentage points compared to October 2024).

According to the report, “European carriers had a 7.4% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity increased 6.0% year-on-year, and the load factor was 86.5% (+1.2 ppt compared to October 2024).”

For domestic travel in Africa, the sector remains on a steady growth path, contributing to broader economic activity across the continent. IATA’s data confirms that the African aviation market continues to recover and expand, supported by increasing international connectivity and improving operational efficiencies.