Airlines across the Asia Pacific region continued to see growth in both passenger and cargo traffic in September 2025, according to preliminary figures released by the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA).
Resilient regional economies, supported by an expected 4.5% GDP growth for the year, have helped sustain strong demand for air travel and freight services across the region.
Cargo demand remained firm despite global trade headwinds. Freight tonne kilometres (FTK) rose 5.0% year-on-year, driven by shifts in Asian trade flows following new US tariff measures.
Freight capacity also grew 4.4%, lifting the average international freight load factor by 0.3 percentage points to 60.8%.
Subhas Menon, AAPA Director General, said that regional carriers had shown resilience despite ongoing trade tensions.
“Despite heightened trade tensions and the implementation of US tariffs, Asian economies have remained resilient, aided by the front-loading of exports, regional supply-chain realignments and firm domestic demand,” he said.
For the first nine months of 2025, Asia Pacific airlines carried 289 million international passengers, up 10% year-on-year, while international cargo traffic grew 7%.
Mr Menon added: “Asia Pacific carriers are well placed to respond to demand growth while navigating multiple challenges, including supply chain constraints and rising operational costs,” he said.
The figures highlight the region’s continuing role as a key driver of global aviation and air cargo growth, even amid a shifting global trade environment.
