According to the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) November 2023 figures, global air travel has reached an impressive 99% of 2019 levels. The data indicates a remarkable rebound in air travel demand, with total traffic for November 2023 surging by 29.7% compared to the same month in 2022.
International air travel saw a substantial increase of 26.4% compared to November 2022, with the Asia-Pacific region leading the way with a remarkable year-over-year growth of +63.8%. November 2023 international Revenue Passenger Kilometers (RPKs) reached an impressive 94.5% of pre-pandemic levels.
Domestic travel also experienced robust growth, with overall domestic traffic in November 2023 soaring by 34.8%, surpassing pre-pandemic levels by 6.7%. Notably, China exhibited exceptional growth at +272%, rebounding from travel restrictions in place a year ago.
In the United States, domestic travel achieved a new high, expanding by +9.1% over November 2019, driven by increased demand during the Thanksgiving holidays.
Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General, said, “We are moving ever closer to surpassing the 2019 peak year for air travel. Economic headwinds are not deterring people from travel, and while international travel remains 5.5% below pre-pandemic levels, that gap is rapidly closing.”
The data underscores a promising trajectory as the aviation industry edges towards a full recovery.
