Asia Pacific Airlines Set 2025 Record for Load Factor as AAPA Unveils Strong Results
Elevated costs and supply constraints temper a cautiously positive 2026 outlook.
Overview
- Preliminary AAPA data show 390.5 million international passengers in 2025, a 9.4% year-on-year increase.
- International demand rose 11% in RPKs as carriers expanded capacity 10.2%, lifting the average load factor to a record 82.2%.
- Air cargo traffic grew 5.6% for the year as airlines adapted to tariff-driven trade shifts and rerouted supply chains.
- Freight capacity climbed 6.8%, largely from returning belly space on passenger aircraft, lowering the freight load factor to 60.3%.
- AAPA flagged inflationary operating costs and ongoing supply-chain pressures, signaling growth prospects for 2026 with caution.