Global airport passenger traffic hits record 9.8 billion in 2025

Global airport passenger traffic reached a record 9.8 billion in 2025, according to the Airports Council International (ACI) World. This growth was primarily driven by international travel, which rose 6.1 percent, significantly outpacing domestic traffic growth of 1.7 percent. Air cargo volumes also hit an all-time high of 131.2 million tonnes, and aircraft movements increased by 2 percent to 103.1 million.

Despite the record-breaking performance in 2025, industry momentum has cooled in the first half of 2026. Passenger traffic growth has slowed due to mounting geopolitical and economic pressures. Data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) indicates that while some corridors, such as Europe-to-Asia routes, saw strong growth of 12.1 percent in July 2026, global international demand has faced volatility.

ACI World’s 2026 Annual World Airport Traffic Report, which utilizes data from 2,817 commercial airports, highlights that the industry must expand capacity and optimize existing infrastructure to meet long-term demand. Regional leaders in growth included Africa with a 9 percent increase, followed by the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.