by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 3:10 PM ET, Thu May 28, 2026
Global air passenger demand for April 2026 fell overall 3.4% due to the ongoing war in the Middle East, according to new data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Excluding the Middle East, global air passenger demand grew 1.2%, underscoring the industry's vulnerability to conflict.
Total capacity also decreased 2.9% from last April.
"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%," explained IATA's Director General, Willie Walsh. "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."
International demand dropped 5.3% due to the war; excluding the Middle East, international demand grew 1.9%. International demand in North America remained flat year over year.
Yet that's not the case for every region: Latin American airlines saw an 8.9% increase, while Asia-Pacific airlines saw a 3% increase. African airlines experienced a 2.2% increase from last year, while European carriers experienced a more moderate 0.9%.
The Middle East region saw a 46.6% decline in demand due to the war.
Domestic demand did not change from last April. While Brazil, China and Japan experienced growth in domestic travel demand, falling demand in Australia, India and the United States balanced it out overall.
Domestic travel demand in the United States dropped 0.6%, which could signal an even larger cooling period as high prices slow demand.
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