International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released global passenger traffic data for April 2026, reporting a 3.4 per cent year-on-year decline in total passenger demand as geopolitical tensions and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East significantly impacted international air travel.
According to IATA, total demand measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometres (RPK) declined 3.4 per cent compared to April 2025, while total capacity measured in Available Seat Kilometres (ASK) fell 2.9 per cent. Global load factor stood at 83.1 per cent, down 0.4 percentage points year-on-year.
However, excluding the Middle East region, global passenger demand still recorded a 1.2 per cent increase, highlighting the extent to which the regional conflict impacted overall industry performance.
International passenger demand fell 5.3 per cent YoY, with capacity down 5.1 per cent and load factor at 83.9 per cent. Excluding Middle East carriers, international demand grew 1.9 per cent.
Domestic traffic remained flat globally compared to April 2025, while domestic capacity increased 0.8 per cent. Domestic load factor stood at 81.9 per cent, down 0.7 percentage points.
Willie Walsh, Director General of IATA, said the severe decline in Middle East traffic significantly affected overall global aviation performance.
“The 46.6 per cent fall in demand for carriers in the Middle East due to war in the region was so acute that it dragged overall demand down -3.4 per cent. The situation for air transport remains highly volatile. The cost of jet fuel more than doubled in April, which is pushing airfares up. Forward schedule data is showing a reduced offering in the coming months, indicating that airlines are balancing high fuel costs and weaker demand,” Walsh said.
Regionally, Middle Eastern airlines experienced the steepest decline, with international demand falling 48.1 per cent year-on-year and load factors dropping to 70.1 per cent amid disruptions linked to the ongoing Iran conflict.
In contrast, several global markets continued to record positive growth despite wider geopolitical uncertainty.
Asia-Pacific airlines posted 3 per cent growth in international demand, supported by strong regional traffic, although IATA noted a slowdown in the Japan–China corridor due to ongoing political tensions. The region recorded the highest April load factor globally at 87.5 per cent.
European carriers reported 0.9 per cent international traffic growth, while direct Europe–Asia traffic rose 15.3 per cent as airlines rerouted passenger flows away from Middle East transit hubs.
Latin American airlines delivered the strongest international growth globally with an 8.9 per cent increase in demand, while African carriers recorded 2.2 per cent growth.
North American airlines saw flat international traffic performance, with demand remaining unchanged year-on-year.
On the domestic front, growth in markets such as Brazil, China and Japan was offset by declines in Australia, India and the United States.
India’s domestic passenger demand declined 2.9 per cent year-on-year in April 2026, while domestic capacity increased 2.3 per cent. Domestic load factor in India stood at 81.6 per cent, reflecting a 4.3 percentage point decline compared to April 2025.
According to IATA, the current environment continues to remain highly volatile as airlines globally navigate geopolitical instability, rising fuel prices, fluctuating demand and evolving travel patterns across key international corridors.
