Malaysia's air passenger traffic surged to 46.6 million in the first half of 2024 (1H 2024), marking a robust 15.3% increase year-on-year (y-o-y) from 40.4 million during the same period in 2023.

According to the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom), international air passenger traffic played a pivotal role in this growth, reaching 24.0 million—up by a significant 35.9% from 17.6 million in 1H 2023. This uptick in international travel is reflective of the broader recovery in global tourism, as airlines resume and expand international routes and frequencies in response to shifting consumer preferences.

In contrast, domestic passenger traffic experienced a marginal decline of 0.7% y-o-y, totalling 22.6 million in 1H 2024 compared to 22.8 million in the same period last year. Despite this, domestic traffic still holds a substantial share, though international traffic now exceeds domestic traffic, accounting for 51.4% of the total, compared to 48.6% for domestic travel. This shift mirrors pre-pandemic trends, where international traffic typically outpaced domestic traffic.

June 2024 saw a notable increase in air traffic, with passenger numbers climbing to 8.1 million. This represents a 12.1% y-o-y increase from June 2023 and a 2.3% month-on-month (m-o-m) rise from May 2024. The boost was largely driven by several public holidays, which spurred domestic travel, evidenced by a 4.2% m-o-m increase in domestic passenger numbers—from 3.9 million in May to 4.1 million in June.

The ASEAN region exhibited the highest recovery rate, with 2.2 million passengers in June 2024, achieving a recovery rate of 93.3% compared to pre-pandemic levels.

In terms of cargo, Mavcom reported a 5.5% y-o-y increase in air cargo traffic for the second quarter of 2024 (2Q 2024), reaching 241,895 tonnes, up from 229,195 tonnes in 2Q 2023. This growth is attributed to heightened international cargo movements, driven by disruptions in the Red Sea, which led businesses to opt for air cargo for faster and more reliable deliveries.

However, domestic cargo experienced a decline of 20.3% y-o-y, falling from 73,035 tonnes in 2Q 2023 to 58,176 tonnes in 2Q 2024. Despite this, overall air cargo movement in 2Q 2024 stood at 102.9% of pre-pandemic levels, with domestic and international cargo movements at 119.8% and 98.5% of pre-pandemic levels, respectively.