IATA released its 2025 World Air Transport Statistics on 16 July 2026, confirming global passenger demand rose 5.3% year-on-year in revenue passenger kilometers while capacity grew 5.2% in available seat kilometers, pushing the full-year passenger load factor to 83.6%, a historical record. International traffic expanded 7.1%, outpacing domestic growth of 2.4%, as operators aligned fleet utilization with resilient demand despite supply chain constraints. Cargo demand reached a record annual volume, growing 3.4% in cargo tonne-kilometers. The sector posted an estimated net profit of $45 billion, reflecting strengthened profitability amid high fuel costs and interest rates. This dataset, built on direct airline reporting from over 250 carriers, provides the definitive benchmark for historical performance and forward-looking capacity planning.