African Air Travel Posts 7.3% Growth in October — IATA
- Aviation
- December 3, 2025
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The aviation market across Africa saw a robust upturn in October 2025, with air travel demand rising by 7.3% year-on-year, IATA data shows.
According to the report, seat-capacity for African airlines increased by 5.3 % compared to October 2024, while load factor the measure of how full flights are rose to 74.1%, up 1.4 percentage points from a year earlier.
Globally, air travel demand climbed 6.6%, with total capacity rising 5.8% and a global load factor of 84.6%.
IATA’s Director-General, Willie Walsh, described October as “a strong month for air travel,” noting that rising demand driven by holiday travel and business commitments offers a bright spot in view of global economic uncertainties in 2026.
The numbers reflect a growing rebound and resilience in Africa’s aviation sector, fuelled by rising connectivity, growing passenger mobility, and recovering demand across domestic and international routes.
By Oshuniran Sheriff Ola
