Air transport, passengers carried in World
World: Air transport, passengers carried was 4.27 billion in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Air transport, passengers carried in World, 1970–2023
Source: Civil Aviation Statistics of the World, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
Analysis
World recorded 4.27 billion for air transport, passengers carried in 2023.
The figure is up 32.2% on the previous year and up 37.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, air transport, passengers carried in World peaked at 4.46 billion in 2019 and was at its lowest, 310.44 million, in 1970.
That places World 1st out of 47 groups with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Air transport, passengers carried in World, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 310.44 million | — |
| 1971 | 331.61 million | +6.8% |
| 1973 | 401.57 million | +21.1% |
| 1974 | 421.14 million | +4.9% |
| 1975 | 432.28 million | +2.6% |
| 1976 | 471.77 million | +9.1% |
| 1977 | 513.27 million | +8.8% |
| 1978 | 576.09 million | +12.2% |
| 1979 | 648.40 million | +12.6% |
| 1980 | 641.87 million | -1.0% |
| 1981 | 640.62 million | -0.2% |
| 1982 | 654.48 million | +2.2% |
| 1983 | 685.10 million | +4.7% |
| 1984 | 732.41 million | +6.9% |
| 1985 | 783.20 million | +6.9% |
| 1986 | 842.59 million | +7.6% |
| 1987 | 904.84 million | +7.4% |
| 1988 | 953.90 million | +5.4% |
| 1989 | 983.21 million | +3.1% |
| 1990 | 1.02 billion | +4.2% |
| 1991 | 1.13 billion | +10.6% |
| 1992 | 1.15 billion | +1.1% |
| 1993 | 1.14 billion | -0.3% |
| 1994 | 1.23 billion | +8.0% |
| 1995 | 1.30 billion | +5.6% |
| 1996 | 1.39 billion | +6.8% |
| 1997 | 1.46 billion | +4.6% |
| 1998 | 1.47 billion | +0.8% |
| 1999 | 1.56 billion | +6.5% |
| 2000 | 1.67 billion | +7.2% |
| 2001 | 1.66 billion | -1.1% |
| 2002 | 1.63 billion | -1.7% |
| 2003 | 1.67 billion | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 1.89 billion | +13.4% |
| 2005 | 1.97 billion | +4.3% |
| 2006 | 2.07 billion | +5.2% |
| 2007 | 2.21 billion | +6.6% |
| 2008 | 2.21 billion | -0.0% |
| 2009 | 2.25 billion | +1.9% |
| 2010 | 2.67 billion | +18.7% |
| 2011 | 2.83 billion | +6.1% |
| 2012 | 2.94 billion | +3.9% |
| 2013 | 3.10 billion | +5.3% |
| 2014 | 3.29 billion | +6.0% |
| 2015 | 3.53 billion | +7.3% |
| 2016 | 3.76 billion | +6.7% |
| 2017 | 4.03 billion | +7.0% |
| 2018 | 4.29 billion | +6.7% |
| 2019 | 4.46 billion | +3.8% |
| 2020 | 1.77 billion | -60.2% |
| 2021 | 2.28 billion | +28.7% |
| 2022 | 3.23 billion | +41.7% |
| 2023 | 4.27 billion | +32.2% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Air transport, passengers carried in World changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | -60.2% | 4.46 billion | 1.77 billion |
| 2022 | +41.7% | 2.28 billion | 3.23 billion |
| 2023 | +32.2% | 3.23 billion | 4.27 billion |
| 2021 | +28.7% | 1.77 billion | 2.28 billion |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 456.29 million | 310.44 million | 648.40 million | 9 |
| 1980s | 782.22 million | 640.62 million | 983.21 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.29 billion | 1.02 billion | 1.56 billion | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.92 billion | 1.63 billion | 2.25 billion | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.49 billion | 2.67 billion | 4.46 billion | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.89 billion | 1.77 billion | 4.27 billion | 4 |
Countries ranked near World
More infrastructure data for World
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 9.17 billion (2025)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 111.5 per 100 people (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 815.00 million (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 9.9 per 100 people (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per capita 0.0992 units per person (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, annual growth rate -2.16 % change on previous year (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, gaps filled 815.00 million (2025)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita 1.12 units per person (2025)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is air transport, passengers carried in World?
- Air transport, passengers carried in World was 4.27 billion in 2023, according to Civil Aviation Statistics of the World, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
- What is the highest air transport, passengers carried recorded in World?
- The highest recorded value was 4.46 billion in 2019.
- What is the lowest air transport, passengers carried recorded in World?
- The lowest recorded value was 310.44 million in 1970.
- How does World rank for air transport, passengers carried?
- World ranks 1st out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is air transport, passengers carried rising or falling in World?
- Over the last ten years it is up 37.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this World data come from?
- The figures come from Civil Aviation Statistics of the World, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), published as part of Air transport, passengers carried. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 53 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Air carrier data per country refers to passengers carried by airlines registered in that country regardless of the origin or destination of the passengers.