Preliminary October 2025 traffic figures released by the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) showed healthy growth in international passenger demand, underpinned by rising tourism activity and business travel. Recent progress in trade agreements following the April announcement of United States reciprocal tariffs has contributed to business confidence, while ongoing adjustments in supply chains have sustained growth in air cargo markets.
For the month, the region’s carriers posted a 10.2% year-on-year increase in the number of international passengers carried to an aggregate total of 33.5 million, led by strong expansion in markets connecting North East Asia. In revenue passenger kilometre (RPK) terms, demand rose by 10.7%, while available seat capacity expanded by 9.3% year-on-year. As a result, the average international passenger load factor increased by 1.0 percentage point to 82.4% in October.
International air cargo markets delivered another month of resilient growth, with Asia Pacific carriers reporting a 2.2% year-on-year increase in international air cargo demand, as measured in freight tonne kilometres (FTK). Shifting supply chains together with robust e-commerce volumes supported demand. Offered freight capacity expanded by 5.6% year-on-year, mainly on the back of increased belly-hold space, resulting in a 2.0 percentage point decline in the average freight load factor to 59.7%.
Commenting on the results, Subhas Menon, AAPA Director General, said, “Asia Pacific airlines began the final quarter on stable ground, supported by continued expansion in the services sectors, while Asia’s export activity remained resilient as businesses diversified supply sources in response to trade tariffs. Overall, the number of international passengers carried increased by 10.4% to 322 million for the year to October, while cargo demand rose by 5.4% over the same period, helped by the restocking of inventory ahead of major on-line sales events.”
Looking ahead, Menon concluded, “Broad-based growth in the global economy should underpin continued growth in both passenger and cargo markets in the coming months. However, this outlook is moderated by ongoing geopolitical and trade risks, despite relatively stable business confidence. In an increasingly competitive economic environment, Asian carriers remain committed to strengthening financial performance through improved efficiency, without compromising safety excellence or customer care standards.”
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