The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released data for September 2026, revealing the latest global passenger demand. African airlines recorded the strongest combined international and domestic traffic growth among regions, with an 8.0% year-on-year increase in demand. This growth outpaced the global average, which saw a 0.5% decline in total demand measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK). African airlines' capacity was up 8.8% year-on-year, with a load factor of 74.8%, slightly lower than the previous year.
Globally, the total demand measured in RPK was down 0.5% compared to September 2025. Excluding the Middle East, demand grew by 0.3%. Total capacity decreased by 0.2% year-on-year, while the load factor was 83.2%, a 0.3 percentage point decrease compared to September 2025. International demand grew 0.4% compared to September 2025, while domestic demand fell 2.2% during the same period. The load factor for international flights was 83.6%, a 0.1 percentage point decrease from the previous year.
According to Marie Owens Thomsen, IATA's Senior Vice President Sustainability and Chief Economist, air traffic demand fell 0.5% in September, reflecting weaknesses in the Middle East and North America. However, this was an improvement from August, with a welcome return to growth in most international markets. Thomsen noted that 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.
African airlines' growth was a notable exception to the global trend. The region saw an 8.0% year-on-year increase in demand, with capacity up 8.8% year-on-year. This growth was driven by strong demand on various routes, with traffic increasing on several key corridors. In contrast, Middle Eastern carriers saw a 7.5% year-on-year decrease in demand, while North American carriers saw flat demand at 0.0% year-on-year.
Other regions also saw varying degrees of growth. Asia-Pacific airlines saw a 0.7% year-on-year increase in demand, while European carriers saw a 1.8% year-on-year increase. Latin American airlines achieved an 8.2% year-on-year increase in demand, with capacity climbing 7.6% year-on-year. Domestic passenger markets also saw mixed results, with resilience in Australia, Brazil, and China outweighed by continuing weakness in the United States.
The six domestic passenger markets for which broken-down data are available account for approximately 29.6% of global total RPKs and 79.4% of total domestic RPKs. India suffered its steepest fall (-8.3%) this year, while Japan's domestic traffic decreased by 0.8%, partly due to weather-related flight disruptions. IATA represents over 370 airlines accounting for some 85% of global air traffic.
The global airline industry continues to face challenges amid geopolitical uncertainty and volatile fuel prices. Despite these challenges, African airlines have demonstrated strong growth, leading the global trend in airline passenger travel demand. IATA's data provides valuable insights into the industry's performance, highlighting areas of growth and weakness. KEY_POINT: African airlines see 8.0% year-on-year increase in demand. KEY_POINT: Global demand falls 0.5% compared to September 2025. KEY_POINT: African airlines' capacity up 8.8% year-on-year.
