Surge in domestic travel lifts global air traffic close to 2019 levels

Total air traffic worldwide increased by 29.7% in November compared to the same period in 2022. 

Air travel during November has returned to 99% of what it was prior to the pandemic in 2019 driven primarily by a surge in domestic travel in China and the US.

According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which represents approximately 320 airlines worldwide, total traffic last November rose 29.7% compared to November 2022. Globally, air traffic is now at 99.1% of November 2019 levels.

The IATA measures traffic by revenue passenger kilometres or RPKs.

International traffic rose 26.4% compared to the previous November but was still 94.5% of the levels recorded in November 2019. However, traffic was boosted by domestic demand which was running 9.1% ahead of 2019 levels.

The IATA said domestic traffic growth was particularly strong in China, up 292%, as it continues to recover from covid restrictions. It was also buoyed by US domestic travel during the busy Thanksgiving period with traffic there rising 14.3%.

Asian and Pacific airlines saw the largest increase of any region with traffic rising 63.8% and capacity increasing by 58%. African airlines traffic rose 22.1% while Latin American airlines’ traffic rose 20.0% in November and Middle Eastern airlines rose 18.6%.

Traffic with European carriers climbed 14.8% versus November 2022 with capacity increasing 15.2%.

Willie Walsh, director-general of the IATA, said economic headwinds are “not deterring people” from flying with the demand for international travel “rapidly closing” in on 2019 levels.

“Domestic markets have been above their pre-pandemic levels continuously since April,” he said.