International full-year traffic in 2024 increased 13.6% compared with 2023, and capacity rose 12.8%. Domestic full-year traffic for 2024 rose 5.7% compared with the prior year, while capacity expanded by 2.5%.
December 2024 saw a strong finish to the year, with overall demand rising 8.6% year on year, and capacity grew by 5.6%. International demand rose by 10.6%, and domestic demand by 5.5%. The December load factor reached 83.5%, a record for the month.

Willie Walsh, director general, said that 2024 “made it absolutely clear that people want to travel.” Airlines, said Walsh, have met the strong demand with record efficiency. On average, he said, “83.5% of all seats on offer filled represented a new record high, partially attributable to the supply chain constraints that limited capacity growth.”
Looking to 2025, said Walsh, there is every indication that demand for travel will continue to grow, albeit at a moderated pace of 8% that is more aligned with historical averages. He added that the tragic accident in Washington last week “reminds us that safety needs our continuous efforts.”