IATA: Global Passenger Demand Declined in June
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released global passenger traffic data for June 2026.
According to the figures, global passenger demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPK), declined by 1.7% compared with the same month last year. Capacity, measured in available seat kilometres (ASK), fell by 1.3%, while the passenger load factor decreased by 0.4 percentage points to 84.2%.
International passenger demand declined by 0.9% year on year. Excluding the Middle East, however, international demand increased by 1.1%. Domestic passenger demand fell by 3%, making it the main contributor to the overall global decline.
By region, Europe recorded a 1.5% increase in international passenger demand, while the Europe–Asia market grew by 11%, making it the fastest-growing international corridor. International demand increased by 6.7% in Africa and 3.5% in Latin America.
In contrast, international passenger demand in the Middle East fell by 14%. IATA said the decline was largely caused by the impact of the war in Iran on regional air traffic. However, the rate of decline eased compared with April, while operations continued to recover gradually.
Among major domestic markets, China recorded the sharpest decline at 5.2%, followed by Japan at 3.8%. The U.S. domestic market fell by 1.2%, while Brazil was the only major market to record growth, with demand increasing by 0.9%. Demand in Australia remained unchanged from last year.
IATA Director General Willie Walsh said the fall in global passenger demand was largely driven by weaker domestic markets in China, the United States and Japan. He added that the recovery in the Middle East was continuing, although renewed regional tensions and higher fuel prices remained a source of pressure for airlines and passengers. Walsh said greater stability in the Middle East and the normalisation of oil supplies would benefit both the aviation industry and the global economy.
