Covid crisis overcome

More expensive tickets: airlines make huge profits

The recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and higher ticket prices have brought airlines around the world more profit in 2023 than before the crisis. For this year, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) predicts a further increase to around 30.5 billion US dollars (28.1 billion euros) for the industry. That would be almost five billion more than forecast in December.

Last year, the airlines achieved an estimated profit of 27.4 billion dollars, as the association announced at its General Assembly in Dubai on Monday. This is one billion more than before the pandemic in 2019.

Airlines in North America are also expected to generate around half of global profits in 2024. IATA predicts a profit of 14.8 billion dollars, the same as in 2023. Airlines in Europe are expected to increase their profits from 8.6 to 9 billion dollars.