Total air demand slipped 0.5% in September compared with the same month last year, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). 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% (down 0.3 percentage point compared with September 2025).
In other results:
- International demand grew 0.4% compared with 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% (down 0.1 percentage point compared with September 2025).
- Domestic demand fell 2.2% compared with September 2025. Capacity decreased 1.3% year on year. The load factor was 82.5% (down 0.7 percentage point during the same reference period).
- North American carriers saw flat demand year on year. Capacity decreased 1.9% year on year, and the load factor was 84.9% (up 1.6 percentage points compared with September 2025). Traffic declined on three of the four largest international route areas serving North America, although the decreases were less severe than in August.
- Domestic demand fell 2.2% in September 2026 compared with the same month last year. Resilience in Australia, Brazil and China was outweighed by continuing weakness in the US (down 2.7%), where demand was possibly affected by subdued consumer confidence. India suffered its steepest fall (down 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.
Marie Owens Thomsen, IATA’s senior vice president sustainability and chief economist, said, “Air traffic demand fell 0.5% in September, reflecting weaknesses in the Middle East and North America.” Nevertheless, she said, “this was an improvement from August, with a welcome return to growth in most international markets.” These patterns, said Thomsen, “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, she said, “but the rates of growth remain weak and highly unbalanced between regions.”
Source: www.businesstravelexecutive.com
