The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for September 2026 global passenger demand:

Total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK), was down 0.5% compared to September 2025. Excluding the Middle East, demand grew by 0.3%. Total capacity, measured in available seat kilometers (ASK), decreased 0.2% year-on-year. The load factor was 83.2% (-0.3 ppt compared to September 2025).

International demand grew 0.4% compared to September 2025. Excluding the Middle East, demand grew by 1.7%. Capacity was up 0.5% year-on-year, and the load factor was 83.6% (-0.1 ppt compared to September 2025). 

Domestic demand fell 2.2% compared to September 2025. Capacity decreased 1.3% year-on-year. The load factor was 82.5% (-0.7 ppt during the same reference period).

Regional Breakdown - International Markets 

International RPK grew 0.4%, with capacity up 0.5%. There was a general improvement over August on most key routes, with some returning to growth and others seeing an easing in rates of decline.

Domestic Markets

Domestic RPK fell 2.2% in September 2026 compared to the same month last year. Resilience in Australia, Brazil, and China was outweighed by continuing weakness in the United States (-2.7%) where demand was possibly affected by subdued consumer confidence. India suffered its steepest fall (-8.3%) this year. Japan’s domestic traffic decreased by 0.8%, partly due to weather-related flight disruptions affecting part of the Silver Week travel period in September.