This summarizes the aviation transport statistics flash report for May 2025 (Reiwa 7) published by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.
Domestic Scheduled Aviation Transport Performance
Domestic scheduled aviation passenger transport in May 2025 totaled 9,074 thousand passengers and 8,522,810 thousand passenger-kilometers. Passenger transport showed steady growth with a 5.1% year-over-year increase in passenger numbers and 5.0% increase in passenger-kilometers, achieving a seat utilization rate of 77.0%.
Cargo transport reached 48,981 tons (57,494 tons including excess baggage and mail) and 53,426 thousand ton-kilometers (62,575 thousand ton-kilometers including excess baggage and mail), showing a 9.5% year-over-year increase in tonnage (8.6% increase including excess baggage and mail) and 9.4% increase in ton-kilometers (8.9% increase including excess baggage and mail), with a weight utilization rate of 53.8%.
International Aviation Transport Performance
For international aviation transport, passenger transport totaled 1,875 thousand passengers and 9,267,803 thousand passenger-kilometers. Passenger transport showed significant increases of 13.9% year-over-year in passenger numbers and 12.8% in passenger-kilometers, achieving a seat utilization rate of 82.5%, higher than domestic routes.
Cargo transport reached 129,725 tons (134,092 tons including excess baggage and mail) and 719,421 thousand ton-kilometers (736,926 thousand ton-kilometers including excess baggage and mail), showing slight decreases of 0.4% year-over-year in tonnage (0.5% decrease including excess baggage and mail) and 2.0% decrease in ton-kilometers (2.1% decrease including excess baggage and mail), with a weight utilization rate of 70.1%.
The article reveals that the aviation industry's recovery trend continues, with international passenger demand showing particularly strong growth, while cargo transport shows contrasting trends with domestic routes performing well and international routes showing slight decreases.