Global Air Passenger Demand Edges Up 0.2% in July

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Global passenger demand grew by 0.2 percent year-on-year in July 2026, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK), the International Air Transport Association (IATA) reported.

Excluding Middle Eastern carriers, demand increased by 1.2 percent compared with the same month last year. Total capacity, measured in available seat kilometers (ASK), rose 0.3 percent year-on-year, while the passenger load factor stood at 85.2 percent, down 0.1 percentage points from July 2025.

International passenger demand fell 0.1 percent overall, but grew 1.5 percent when excluding Middle Eastern airlines. International capacity expanded 0.3 percent, and the load factor dipped 0.3 percentage points to 85.2 percent. Domestic demand increased 0.6 percent against a 0.2 percent capacity expansion, with the domestic load factor reaching 85.3 percent, up 0.3 percentage points.

Marie Owens Thomsen, IATA's Senior Vice President of Sustainability and Chief Economist, noted that the Northern Hemisphere's peak summer travel season was generally positive for aviation. She stated that the overall 0.2 percent growth occurred despite combined declines among North American and Middle Eastern airlines, adding that traffic through Gulf hubs continues to recover. Thomsen added that while high fuel prices, economic uncertainty, and geopolitical tensions persist, airlines remain confident for the remainder of the year, with capacity projected to grow nearly 3 percent in September.

In regional international markets, Asia-Pacific airlines recorded a 0.7 percent decline in demand alongside a 1.7 percent capacity contraction, with load factors rising 0.9 percentage points to 84.5 percent. European carriers posted a 3.1 percent demand increase against a 3.2 percent capacity rise, with an 87.1 percent load factor. Passenger traffic between Europe and Asia expanded 12.1 percent, marking the strongest growth among major international routes.

North American airlines saw demand drop 2.3 percent alongside a matching 2.3 percent capacity cut, keeping load factors unchanged at 88.2 percent. Key transatlantic routes declined 2.2 percent, driven by traffic drops from the United Kingdom, France, and Spain.

Middle Eastern carriers reported a 9.5 percent drop in demand and a 5.8 percent capacity reduction, with the load factor falling 3.3 percentage points to 80.9 percent, though the rate of decline continued to ease following double-digit drops earlier in the year. Latin American airlines logged a 7.1 percent demand increase on a 7.2 percent capacity rise with an 85.7 percent load factor, while African carriers registered a 6.4 percent demand expansion against a 9 percent capacity growth and a 74.1 percent load factor.

In domestic markets, July 2026 RPK growth reached 0.6 percent year-on-year. Strong growth in China (5.3 percent) and Brazil (6 percent) offset contractions in the United States (0.5 percent), Australia (0.5 percent), and India (6.3 percent). Japan's domestic market grew 0.9 percent.