- Global passenger demand declined 1.7pc compared to June 2025.
- International demand fell 0.9pc, domestic demand contracted 3.0pc.
- European carriers saw 1.5pc growth, with Europe-Asia up 11.0pc.
- Middle Eastern carriers saw a 14pc decrease in demand.
- Domestic China fell 5.2pc and Japan fell 3.8pc.
IATA has released data for June 2026 showing total global passenger demand, measured in RPKs, declined 1.7pc compared to June 2025, with capacity decreasing 1.3pc year-on-year. International demand fell 0.9pc, while domestic demand contracted 3.0pc. European carriers saw a 1.5pc year-on-year increase in demand, with growth on the Europe-Asia corridor reaching 11.0pc, the fastest among all major international route corridors. Middle Eastern carriers saw a 14pc year-on-year decrease in demand with capacity falling 11pc.
Asia-Pacific airlines achieved a 0.4pc year-on-year increase in demand with capacity decreasing 1.1pc, as some carriers cut back on short-haul routes due to higher fuel prices. North American carriers saw a 1.0pc decrease in demand with capacity down 0.7pc. Latin American airlines achieved a 3.5pc increase in demand, while African airlines saw a 6.7pc increase. Domestic Brazil traffic was up 0.9pc, but all other major markets declined except Australia, with China down 5.2pc and Japan down 3.8pc.
Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General, stated global demand was down 1.7pc largely due to domestic market declines in China, the US, and Japan, and weak but improving international demand for Middle East carriers. He noted stabilizing the Middle East and normalising oil supplies would improve prospects for airlines, economies, and societies worldwide.
Willie Walsh, IATA Director General, shared, “Global demand for air travel was down 1.7pc in June compared to 2025. This is largely due to domestic market declines in China, the US, and Japan, and weak but improving international demand for Middle East carriers.”
