Geneva – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for September 2026 global passenger demand:
- Total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK), was down 0.5% compared to September 2025. Excluding the Middle East, demand grew by 0.3%. Total capacity, measured in available seat kilometers (ASK), decreased 0.2% year-on-year. The load factor was 83.2% (-0.3 ppt compared to September 2025).
- International demand grew 0.4% compared to September 2025. Excluding the Middle East, demand grew by 1.7%. Capacity was up 0.5% year-on-year, and the load factor was 83.6% (-0.1 ppt compared to September 2025).
- Domestic demand fell 2.2% compared to September 2025. Capacity decreased 1.3% year-on-year. The load factor was 82.5% (-0.7 ppt during the same reference period).
"Air traffic demand fell 0.5% in September, reflecting weaknesses in the Middle East and North America. Nevertheless, this was an improvement from August, with a welcome return to growth in most international markets. These patterns have more-or-less repeated themselves throughout much of the year, and we can expect this to continue amid geopolitical uncertainty and volatile fuel prices. Global scheduled seat capacity is expected to remain above 2025 levels in October and November, but the rates of growth remain weak and highly unbalanced between regions," said Marie Owens Thomsen, IATA's Senior Vice President Sustainability, and Chief Economist.
Air Passenger Market in Detail
| September 2026 (% year-on-year) | World Share1 | RPK | ASK | PLF(%-PT)2 | PLF(Level)3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Market | 100% | -0.5% | -0.2% | -0.3 | 83.2% |
| Africa | 2.2% | 5.0% | 7.7% | -1.9 | 73.5% |
| Asia-Pacific | 34.4% | 0.5% | 0.1% | 0.3 | 83.4% |
| Europe | 26.7% | 0.3% | -0.1% | 0.3 | 86.6% |
| Latin America and the Caribbean | 5.4% | 4.3% | 5.1% | -0.6 | 82.9% |
| Middle East | 9.5% | -8.0% | -3.8% | -3.6 | 78.2% |
| North America | 21.8% | -1.6% | -1.3% | -0.2 | 81.8% |
1) % of industry RPK in 2025 2) Year-on-year change in load factor 3) Load Factor Level
Regional Breakdown - International Passenger Markets
International RPK grew 0.4%, with capacity up 0.5%. There was a general improvement over August on most key routes, with some returning to growth and others seeing an easing in rates of decline.
Asia-Pacific airlines saw a 0.7% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity increased 0.4% year-on-year, and the load factor was 83.1% (+0.3 ppt compared to September 2025). Traffic increased on four of the six largest international route areas serving Asia-Pacific. On routes within Asia, traffic declined by 0.9%, though this was a slower rate of decline than in August.
European carriers saw a 1.8% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity rose 1.2% year-on-year, and the load factor was 86.1% (+0.5 ppt compared to September 2025). Traffic on the transatlantic corridor declined by 0.6%, improving from a 2.5% contraction in August.
North American carriers saw flat demand of 0.0% year-on-year. Capacity decreased 1.9% year-on-year, and the load factor was 84.9% (+1.6 ppt compared to September 2025). Traffic declined on three of the four largest international route areas serving North America, although the decreases were less severe than in August.
Middle Eastern carriers saw a 7.5% year-on-year decrease in demand. Capacity fell 3.3% year-on-year, and the load factor was 78.3% (-3.6 ppt compared to September 2025). Traffic on the Middle East–Asia corridor fell by 8.8%, a deeper contraction than the 7.9% decline recorded in August. By contrast, the 3.0% fall on the Middle East–North America corridor was a slightly smaller decline than last month.
Latin American airlines achieved an 8.2% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity climbed 7.6% year-on-year. The load factor was 83.9% (+0.5 ppt compared to September 2025).
African airlines saw an 8.0% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity was up 8.8% year-on-year. The load factor was 74.8% (-0.6 ppt compared to September 2025).
Domestic Passenger Markets
Domestic RPK fell 2.2% in September 2026 compared to the same month last year. Resilience in Australia, Brazil, and China was outweighed by continuing weakness in the United States (-2.7%) where demand was possibly affected by subdued consumer confidence. India suffered its steepest fall (-8.3%) this year. Japan's domestic traffic decreased by 0.8%, partly due to weather-related flight disruptions affecting part of the Silver Week travel period in September.
| September 2026 (% year-on-year) | World Share1 | RPK | ASK | PLF(%-PT)2 | PLF(LEVEL)3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic | 37.2% | -2.2% | -1.3% | -0.7 | 82.5% |
| Domestic Australia | 0.8% | 4.5% | -0.9% | 4.5 | 86.5% |
| Domestic Brazil | 1.2% | 2.0% | 7.1% | -4.0 | 80.2% |
| Domestic China P.R. | 11.3% | 3.1% | 3.2% | -0.1 | 84.1% |
| Domestic India | 1.7% | -8.3% | -7.9% | -0.3 |
81.0% |
| Domestic Japan | 1.0% | -0.8% | -0.2% | -0.5 | 85.5% |
| Domestic United States | 13.6% | -2.7% | -1.0% | -1.4 | 79.8% |
1) % of industry RPK in 2025 2) Year-on-year change in load factor 3) Load Factor Level
> View the September 2026 Air Passenger Market Analysis (pdf)
