Airports Council International World recorded a global passenger total of 9.8 billion in 2025, the highest on record, while traffic growth eased sharply in the first half of 2026 to about 4.7 billion passengers, up just 0.6% year on year. The figures cover 2,817 commercial airports in more than 185 countries and territories and underline a split between resilient long-term demand and a softer near-term trading environment.
International travel drove the 2025 result, with international traffic rising 6.1% and domestic traffic increasing 1.7%. ACI World also reported that air cargo reached 131.2 million tonnes and aircraft movements climbed to 103.1 million in 2025.
Regional performance remained uneven. Africa posted the strongest 2025 growth at 9.0%, followed by the Middle East at 6.5%, Asia-Pacific at 5.1%, Latin America and the Caribbean at 4.5% and Europe at 4.2%, while North America declined 0.7%. In the first half of 2026, the Middle East stood out on the downside with a 21% drop, reflecting geopolitical tensions, airspace disruption and higher operating costs.