Airlines Expect $10B This Year

The world’s airlines are expecting to bounce back from the pandemic in a big way.

The International Air Transport Association is predicting air travel will bring in nearly $10 billion this year. That’s more than twice as much as the $4.7 billion the agency forecast in December. In fact, the IATA is predicting 4.35 billion people will fly this year, which nearly matches 2019’s number.

“Despite economic uncertainties, people are flying to reconnect, explore, and do business,” says William M. Walsh, the director general of the IATA. “Airports are busier, hotel occupancy is rising, local economies are reviving, and the airline industry has moved into profitability.”