According to new data from leading travel data provider OAG, global airline capacity reached 555.2 million seats in August 2025, marking a significant 2.6% increase year-over-year. This growth signals sustained high demand for air travel worldwide.
Key Global Trends and Regional Highlights
The capacity increase was particularly strong in Central Asia and Southern Africa. Overall, 725 airlines were in operation, serving 3,939 airports globally.
Passenger numbers remain robust, with several countries seeing notable gains. Canada, Brazil, and Australia all experienced an uptick in their domestic markets, likely driven by a combination of leisure and business travel.
Despite the overall positive trend, some major domestic markets saw a contraction in capacity. Indonesia experienced the most significant decline, down 12.7% year-over-year, while the U.S. and Japan also saw a decrease.
Airline and Route Performance
The world’s largest carriers, including American Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta, continue to lead in terms of capacity, although their performance varies across different regions. The UK-Spain route remains the busiest international air corridor.
Among individual airlines, Turkish Airlines and LATAM Airlines Group showed strong growth, with capacity increasing by 8.3% and 6.3% respectively. However, some carriers, including Southwest Airlines and IndiGo, made capacity cuts, a notable exception to the broader industry trend.
