Air Passenger demand grows 0.2% in July

IATA has released data indicating that global air passenger demand grew by 0.2% in July 2026.

Highlights include:

• Total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK), was up 0.2% compared to July 2025. Excluding the Middle East, demand grew by 1.2%. Total capacity, measured in available seat kilometers (ASK), increased 0.3% year-on-year. The load factor was 85.2% (-0.1 ppt compared to July 2025).
• International demand fell 0.1% compared to July 2025. Excluding the Middle East, demand grew by 1.5%. Capacity was up 0.3% year-on-year, and the load factor was 85.2% (-0.3 ppt compared to July 2025).
• Domestic demand grew 0.6% compared to July 2025. Capacity increased 0.2% year-on-year. The load factor was 85.3% (+0.3 ppt during the same reference period).

Marie Owens Thomsen, IATA’s Senior Vice President Sustainability, and Chief Economist, said: “The peak Northern summer travel season is a mostly positive story for air travel. Overall growth of 0.2% in July was achieved despite year-on-year collective declines by carriers in North America and the Middle East.”

She continued: “Notably, traffic through the Gulf hubs continues its recovery trajectory. Although high fuel costs, economic uncertainty and geopolitical tensions continue, carriers are expressing confidence in demand for the last part of the year with an almost 3% expansion of seat capacity in September.”

Go to www.iata.org for more.