IATA reports 3.4% fall in air passenger demand
The fall in global air passenger demand was exclusively driven by a fall in demand in the Middle East due to the US/Israel–Iran war, according to the Association
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has reported a 3.4% fall in air passenger demand in April 2026, compared with the same period last year.
The fall, measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPK), was driven by ongoing conflict in the Middle East between the US/Israel and Iran.
There was a 46.6% RPK fall in demand for carriers in the Middle East during the period – excluding that region, global demand actually rose by 1.2%.
International demand in particular was a key factor behind the fall – it fell 5.3% globally compared with April 2025 – but when excluding the Middle East, grew by 1.9%. Domestic demand was flat year-on-year worldwide.
“The 46.6% fall in demand for carriers in the Middle East due to war in the region was so acute that it dragged overall demand down 3.4%,” said Willie Walsh, Director General of IATA. “The situation for air transport remains highly volatile. The cost of jet fuel more than doubled in April, which is pushing airfares up. Forward schedule data is showing a reduced offering in the coming months, indicating that airlines are balancing high fuel costs and weaker demand.”
IATA recently forecast that air travel demand will double by 2050.