Global air passenger demand fell in April 2026, as the war in the Middle East caused a sharp drop in traffic among the region’s airlines and weighed heavily on the wider market, according to figures released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

According to IATA, total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPK), fell by 3.4 per cent compared with April 2025. However, excluding the Middle East, global demand would have risen by 1.2 per cent, pointing to continued resilience across most other regions.

Total capacity, measured in available seat kilometres (ASK), declined by 2.9 per cent year-on-year, while the global passenger load factor stood at 83.1 per cent, down 0.4 percentage points from April 2025.

IATA said the overall drop was driven by the severe impact of the war on Middle Eastern carriers, where demand fell by 46.6 per cent compared with the same month last year.

“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,” IATA director general Willie Walsh said.

“The situation for air transport remains highly volatile,” he added.

At the same time, Walsh said the cost of jet fuel more than doubled in April, pushing airfares higher, while forward schedule data showed a reduced offering in the coming months.

This, he said, indicated that airlines were trying to balance higher fuel costs with weaker demand.

International passenger demand fell by 5.3 per cent year-on-year in April, while capacity declined by 5.1 per cent.

Once again, IATA said the decline was mainly the result of the continuing heavy fall in demand for Middle Eastern carriers. Excluding the region, international demand increased by 1.9 per cent.

Middle Eastern airlines recorded the steepest fall, with international demand down 48.1 per cent year-on-year. Capacity dropped by 38.4 per cent, while the load factor fell by 13.1 percentage points to 70.1 per cent.

According to IATA, traffic was affected by the ongoing Iran war, although the decline slowed slightly compared with March after an uneasy ceasefire came into effect.

By contrast, most other regions recorded growth.

European carriers saw demand increase by 0.9 per cent year-on-year, while capacity rose by 0.3 per cent. The load factor stood at 84.9 per cent, up 0.6 percentage points from April 2025.

At the same time, direct traffic between Europe and Asia rose by 15.3 per cent, as passengers shifted away from routes that would normally have transited through the Middle East.

Asia-Pacific airlines also remained in positive territory, with demand up 3 per cent year-on-year. Capacity increased by 0.7 per cent, while the load factor reached 87.5 per cent, marking a record high for April.

However, IATA noted a slowdown in traffic on the Japan-China corridor, due to ongoing political tensions.

Latin American airlines recorded the strongest international performance, with demand rising by 8.9 per cent year-on-year. Capacity increased by 7.2 per cent, while the load factor reached 84.6 per cent, up 1.4 percentage points.

African airlines also saw growth, with demand up 2.2 per cent and capacity rising by 1.2 per cent. The load factor stood at 77.9 per cent.

North American carriers, meanwhile, recorded no growth in demand, with international RPK unchanged from April 2025. Capacity fell by 1.1 per cent, although the load factor improved by 0.9 percentage points to 83.9 per cent.

Domestic passenger demand was unchanged in April compared with the same month last year, according to IATA.

Growth in Brazil, China and Japan offset declines in Australia, India and the United States. Domestic capacity increased by 0.8 per cent, while the load factor fell by 0.7 percentage points to 81.9 per cent.

Japan recorded the strongest domestic growth, with demand up 3.7 per cent, despite capacity falling by 1.4 per cent. IATA noted that capacity in the Japanese domestic market had now declined for eight consecutive months.

Brazil’s domestic market also expanded, with demand rising by 2.6 per cent, while China posted growth of 1.2 per cent.

However, domestic demand fell by 2.9 per cent in India, 0.6 per cent in the United States and 0.4 per cent in Australia.

Overall, the figures show that while emphasising travel demand remained positive outside the Middle East, the war in the region created a major drag on global air traffic.

At the same time, higher fuel costs are adding further pressure on airlines, with IATA warning that carriers are already adjusting future schedules in response to weaker demand and rising operating costs.