Global air passenger demand falls 1.7% in June, IATA says

Global demand for passenger air travel declined by 1.7% year-on-year in June 2026, while the air cargo segment recorded growth of 8.5%, Report informs, citing the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

The passenger load factor (PLF) reached 84.2% in June, down 4.4 percentage points from the same period in 2025.

IATA statistics showed that international passenger traffic decreased by 0.9% compared with June 2025. Capacity fell by 0.6%, while the load factor stood at 84.2%, down 0.2 percentage points. Domestic passenger traffic declined by 3% year-on-year, capacity dropped by 2.4%, and the load factor was 84%, down 0.5 percentage points.

"Global passenger demand in June was 1.7% lower than a year earlier. This was mainly due to weaker domestic markets in China, the United States, and Japan, as well as soft, though gradually improving, demand for international flights operated by Middle Eastern airlines. Despite improving conditions in the region, renewed tensions are not helping the industry's recovery. In addition, higher fuel prices continue to put pressure on passengers, leading to increased airfares. People continue to travel, and this remains an important driver of global economic growth. However, there is no doubt that stabilizing the situation in the Middle East and normalizing oil supplies would improve the outlook for airlines, the economy, and societies around the world," said IATA Director General Willie Walsh.

The regional distribution of the global passenger air transport market in June 2026 was as follows: Africa accounted for 2.2%, Asia-Pacific 34.4%, Europe 26.7%, Latin America and the Caribbean 5.4%, the Middle East 9.5%, and North America 21.8%.

"Air cargo demand grew 8.5% year-on-year in June. While North America was the strongest contributor to growth, demand in all regions was in positive territory compared to last year. Demand growth outpaced capacity at the global level and in all regions except Latin America and the Caribbean. Demand also grew faster than global trade, supported by high-value technology products, and urgent shipments. While this all gives strong reasons for optimism in the second half of 2026, risks remain-continuing hostilities in the Middle East and a renewed focus on tariffs by the US among them," Walsh said.

The regional distribution of global air cargo traffic in June 2026 was: Africa 2.1%, Asia-Pacific 35.8%, Europe 21.4%, Latin America and the Caribbean 2.9%, the Middle East 13.2%, and North America 24.6%.

According to the report, the Asia–North America route recorded annual growth of 14.7% and accounted for 23.5% of the market. Europe–Asia traffic increased by 7.1% with a 21.5% market share, while Middle East–Europe traffic fell by 41.1% with a 5.2% share. Middle East–Asia traffic declined by 4.1% with a 7.4% share, intra-Asia traffic grew by 7.2% with a 7.3% share, North America–Europe traffic remained unchanged, and Africa–Asia traffic rose by 0.9% with a 1.3% market share.