The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that global air travel continued its recovery in December 2023, with total traffic for the year inching closer to pre-pandemic levels. According to IATA, the total traffic in 2023, measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs), rose by an impressive 36.9 percent compared to the previous year.
Highlighting the global trend, IATA revealed that full-year 2023 traffic reached 94.1 percent of pre-pandemic (2019) levels. The positive trajectory continued in December 2023, with total traffic surging by 25.3 percent compared to December 2022, reaching 97.5 percent of the December 2019 level. The fourth quarter of 2023 demonstrated a robust recovery, standing at 98.2 percent of 2019 levels, indicating a strong end-of-year performance.
International air travel, a key indicator of the industry’s rebound, saw a significant increase in 2023, climbing by 41.6 percent compared to 2022 and reaching 88.6 percent of 2019 levels. December 2023 international traffic continued this upward trend, rising by 24.2 percent over December 2022 and reaching 94.7 percent of the December 2019 level. The fourth quarter’s international traffic stood at 94.5 percent of 2019, underscoring the resilience of global air connectivity.
On the domestic front, air travel in 2023 showed a notable increase, rising by 30.4 percent compared to the previous year. Domestic traffic in 2023 recorded a remarkable 3.9 percent above the full-year 2019 level. December 2023 domestic traffic continued to climb, marking a 27 percent increase over the year-earlier period and standing at 2.3 percent above December 2019 levels. The fourth quarter domestic traffic showed a significant 4.4 percent increase compared to the same quarter in 2019.
IATA’s Director-General, Willie Walsh, expressed optimism about the industry’s trajectory, noting that December 2023 traffic was just 2.5 percent below 2019 levels. He highlighted the strong performance in the fourth quarter, positioning airlines for a return to normal growth patterns in 2024.
While celebrating the positive recovery, Walsh urged governments to adopt a strategic approach to maximise the benefits of air travel in the post-pandemic world. He emphasised the importance of cost-efficient infrastructure, incentives for sustainable aviation fuel production to meet net-zero carbon emission goals by 2050, and regulations that provide a clear cost-benefit. The recovery in travel, Walsh concluded, is not only good news but also a driving force behind the global economy’s resurgence as people resume travel for various purposes.
