IATA: Global demand decline in Sep-2026 reflects weakness in Middle East and North America

IATA reported (30-Oct-2026) global passenger demand in RPKs decreased 0.5% year-on-year in Sep-2026, reflecting weakness in the Middle East and North America. Excluding the Middle East, demand increased 0.3%. International demand increased 0.4% overall and grew 1.7% excluding the Middle East. IATA reported "a general improvement over August" on most international key routes, "with some returning to growth and others seeing an easing in rates of decline". International market details include:

• Africa: Demand increased 8%;
• Asia Pacific: Demand increased 0.7%. Traffic increased on four of the six largest international route areas. Traffic declined 0.9% on routes within Asia, which was a slower rate of decline compared to Aug-2026;
• Europe: Demand increased 1.8%. Traffic on the trans-Atlantic corridor declined 0.6%, improving from a 2.5% contraction in Aug-2026;
• Latin America: Demand increased 8.2%;
• Middle East: Demand decreased 7.5%. Traffic on the Middle East-Asia corridor decreased 8.8%, a deeper contraction than the 7.9% decline in Aug-2026. The 3% decrease on the Middle East-North America corridor was a "slightly smaller" decline than in Aug-2026;
• North America: Demand growth was flat year-on-year. Traffic declined on three of the four largest international route areas, but the decreases were less severe than in Aug-2026.

IATA SVP sustainability and chief economist Marie Owens Thomsen welcomed the "return to growth in most international markets". She commented: "These patterns have more-or-less repeated themselves throughout much of the year, and we can expect this to continue amid geopolitical uncertainty and volatile fuel prices. 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". [more - original PR]