India Soars to Fifth Place in Global Aviation Market

India secured its position as the world's fifth largest aviation market, reaching 241 million passengers in 2024. The Mumbai-Delhi route ranked as the 7th busiest globally. IATA released global statistics highlighting a significant rise in both domestic and international air travel, with India outpacing Japan.

India has claimed the spot as the fifth largest aviation market worldwide, handling 241 million passengers in 2024, the International Airport Transport Association (IATA) reported. This marks an impressive 11.1% increase over the previous year, beating Japan, which moved 205 million passengers.

Globally, the US retained the lead with 876 million passengers, while China held second place at 741 million. Significant growth was seen in Asia Pacific, with the region dominating the top airport pairs, such as Jeju-Seoul ranking as the busiest worldwide.

The Mumbai-Delhi corridor emerged as the 7th busiest airport pair, catering to 5.9 million passengers. Premium international travel saw an 11.8% rise, slightly outstripping global economy travel growth. Boeing and Airbus planes, particularly the B737 and A320, remained the stalwarts of air travel.

(With inputs from agencies.)