Global air traffic - number of flights 2004-2023

The number of flights performed globally by the airline industry has increased steadily since the early 2000s and reached 38.9 million in 2019. However, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the number of flights dropped to 16.9 million in 2020. The flight volume increased again the following year and was forecasted to reach 34.4 million passengers in 2023.

The global airline industry

The number of flights performed increased year-on-year continuously to transport both passengers and freight. The industry’s recent growth can be attributed to a combination of increasing living standards and decreasing costs of air travel. While North American and European airlines currently dominate in terms of both revenue and passengers flown, it is predicted that future growth will be highest in the emerging markets of Africa, Latin America and Asia. This is due not only to economic development but also to the expected increase in the working-age population of many countries in these regions.