- IATA released the WATS 2025 report with data from 1,315 airlines.
- International premium-class passengers reached 109.7m in 2025, up 4.5pc.
- Latin America recorded a 22.1pc increase in premium passengers, the largest regional rise.
- Jeju International Airport to Seoul Gimpo was the world’s busiest route with 13.3m passengers.
- The Boeing 737 operated 10.8m flights, the most of any aircraft type.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released the 2025 edition of the World Air Transport Statistics (WATS), providing comprehensive data on global airline demand, supply and operational performance. The statistics incorporate data from 1,315 airlines in the IATA Annual Statistics collection, including contributions from over 250 international carriers. The data covers the global airline fleet, top routes, employment and financial performance through to 2025.
Premium-class travel showed strong growth in 2025, with international business and first class passengers reaching 109.7 million, up 4.5pc year on year. Latin America recorded the largest regional jump, rising 22.1pc to 4.0 million passengers, while Europe remained the biggest premium market with 39.7 million passengers. Asia Pacific dominated the busiest airport pair rankings, with Jeju International Airport to Seoul Gimpo carrying 13.3 million passengers, the highest globally. The United States remained the largest passenger market with 890.1 million passengers, followed by China with 776.1 million.
The Boeing 737 operated 10.8 million flights in 2025, up 12.0pc from 2024, making it the most used aircraft type. The Airbus A321 recorded a 61.6pc increase in flights compared to 2019, while the Airbus A350 saw a 117.4pc rise over the same period. The Airbus A380 showed a decline of 24.4pc in flights from 2019 levels.
