Global airport passenger traffic reaches record 9.8 billion in 2025

Global airports carried a record 9.8 billion passengers in 2025, Airports Council International (ACI) World reported today, while air cargo volumes also reached an all-time high. Air cargo reached a record 131.2 million tonnes over the year, while aircraft movements climbed to 103.1 million.

Yet that momentum has cooled in 2026, with passenger growth slowing amid mounting geopolitical and economic headwinds, even as cargo continues to expand.

The figures, published in ACI World’s 2026 Annual World Airport Traffic Report (WATR), draw on data from 2,817 commercial airports worldwide – ACI World’s largest dataset to date – capturing an estimated 97% of scheduled global passenger traffic and offering the most comprehensive picture yet of how the world moves through its airports.

Why the long-term demand for air travel will require an expansion of capacity

Justin Erbacci, ACI World’s Director General said: “The 2025 results confirm what this industry has shown year after year: long-term demand for air travel remains strong and more capacity will be needed. Meeting that demand means expanding capacity while getting far more out of the infrastructure we already have. It also means advocating for regulation that enables investment rather than blocking it and never losing sight of the fact that airports are strategic assets for their communities.”

Air cargo reached a record 131.2 million tonnes over the year, while aircraft movements climbed to 103.1 million.

However the headline numbers are offset by a more unsettled picture emerging in 2026. Geopolitical tensions, airspace disruption and rising costs have begun to reshape the industry’s near-term outlook, the report warns.

Passenger growth strong across all regions in 2025 apart from North America

International travel drove the growth, with passenger traffic up 6.1%, comfortably outpacing domestic growth of 1.7%. Global air cargo rose 3.3%, while aircraft movements increased 2.0%.

Passenger growth was strong across almost every region. Africa led the way with a 9.0% rise in traffic, followed by the Middle East (6.5%), Asia-Pacific (5.1%) and Latin America and the Caribbean (4.5%). Europe also posted solid growth, at 4.2%. North America was the exception, with traffic dipping 0.7% amid softer domestic demand.

How long term aviation drivers are set to maintain the pace of passenger demand

The opening months of this year have told a more complicated story. Global passenger traffic reached approximately 4.7 billion in the first half of 2026, up just 0.6% on the same period last year, a marked slowdown from 2025’s pace.

Growth persisted across Africa, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Asia-Pacific, while North America remained largely flat. The Middle East saw the sharpest decline, with traffic down 21%, as the region bore the impact of the escalating crisis and airspace disruption.

Yet for all the near-term volatility, the report’s underlying message is one of confidence: the long-run drivers of aviation demand, including rising populations, growing incomes, expanding connectivity and an enduring appetite for mobility, remain firmly intact.