Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Global passenger air travel demand fell 0.8% in August 2026 compared with the same month a year earlier, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Excluding Middle Eastern airlines, demand increased 0.6%. Available capacity rose 0.3%, while the passenger load factor stood at 85.1%, down 0.9 percentage points from August 2025.
Demand is measured in revenue passenger-kilometres. On international routes, demand declined 0.9%, while excluding Middle Eastern carriers it increased 1.3%.
International capacity remained at last year’s level, with the load factor at 85%. Domestic demand fell 0.5% despite a 0.7% increase in capacity, while the load factor reached 85.3%.
“Global air travel demand fell 0.8% compared with August 2025 as the recovery of Middle Eastern carriers was interrupted,” said Marie Owens Thomsen, IATA Senior Vice President for Sustainability and Chief Economist.
“Demand among the region’s airlines was 14.6% lower than a year earlier, reversing the improving trend. Excluding Middle Eastern carriers, air travel demand grew 0.6% in August, half the rate recorded in July.”
“With some important exceptions, such as China’s domestic market, global connectivity weakened overall in August,” she said.
“The coming months will show whether travelers whose purchasing power has been reduced by higher energy prices are cutting their spending on travel and whether continued geopolitical instability may deter them from traveling.”
“Meanwhile, October schedules point to cautious optimism, with the number of available seats increasing by 2%,” Thomsen added.
Middle Eastern airlines recorded the sharpest decline in international demand, at 14.2%. Their capacity fell 9%, while the load factor declined 4.8 percentage points to 79.1%.
According to IATA, the decline in traffic intensified in August, interrupting the gradual stabilization observed following the war with Iran in February. The drop in traffic on the Middle East–Asia route accelerated to 11.7%, compared with 8.6% in July.
International traffic carried by Asia-Pacific airlines declined 0.1%. Traffic within Asia fell 2%, while capacity on the route has declined for four consecutive months. At the same time, traffic between Asia and North America increased 2.5%. European carriers increased international traffic by 2.1%.
Traffic between Europe and Asia continued to grow strongly, rising 12.2%, while transatlantic traffic declined 2.4% amid lower traffic from several countries, including the United Kingdom and France.
Demand among North American airlines fell 1.7%. Latin American and African carriers each increased international traffic by 6.7%.
Domestic markets showed mixed trends. Traffic in China increased 5.8%, supported by summer demand, while Brazil recorded a 4.3% increase and Australia a 2.3% rise.
Domestic traffic in India fell sharply, declining 7.5%. Traffic in the United States decreased 2.9%, while Japan recorded a 2% decline. Japan had the highest domestic load factor at 90%.
IATA said all figures are preliminary and subject to revision. The association represents more than 370 airlines, accounting for about 85% of global air traffic.
