International air passengers demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK), was down 2.2% compared to May 2025.
According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA) that represents over 370 airlines global passenger demand for May 2026 accounting for some 85% of global air traffic.
International demand fell 1.6% compared to May 2025. Excluding the Middle East, demand grew by 3.1%
“Air passenger demand was down 2.2% year-on-year in May on the impact of war in the Middle East. The decline was centered on carriers in the Middle East with a 28.4% year-on-year fall. That’s a significant improvement on the 46.6% decline recorded for April, a sign of the region’s resilience.
Notably, we also saw year-on-year contractions in demand in both North America and Asia, largely related to domestic market conditions in the US and China.
“Overall, May demand still appeared to be largely resilient in the face of high fuel prices and air fares. While the recent sharp drop in oil prices is an encouraging development, the challenges created by the war will likely persist for some time. Oil supply through the Strait of Hormuz remains uncertain and it is likely to take time before the benefit of lower oil prices is reflected in ‘normalized’ jet fuel pricing. In the meantime, airlines who are operating on a 2.0% margin will have little choice but to continue testing demand resilience with higher fares that attempt to cover elevated fuel costs,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.
Asia-Pacific airlines achieved a 1.3% increase in demand. European carriers saw a 3.8% increase in demand.
North American carriers increased demand 1.0% whereas Middle Eastern carriers saw a 28.8% decrease in demand. Latin American airlines achieved a 10.5% increase in demand. African airlines saw an 8.9% increase in demand.
Meanwhile, IATA also released global air cargo markets data for May 2026.
According to the data, total demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometers (CTK), increased by 6.0% while capacity, measured in available cargo tonne-kilometers (ACTK), increased by 1.9%.
“Air cargo demand grew 6% year-on-year in May, with Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, and North American regions all reporting above trend growth. Carriers in the Middle East, however, reported a combined contraction of 8.9% year-on-year as war-related impacts continued.
May’s strong performance coupled with macro-economic factors give cautious optimism for air cargo’s prospects over the remainder of the year. Trade and manufacturing output are both growing. Airlines have adapted operations to align with shifting demand patterns and supply chain needs.
Meanwhile, yield growth and higher load factors are helping to recoup higher fuel costs.
“It’s still a tough year, particularly as Middle East uncertainties weigh heavily on parts of the industry, but robust demand and airline resilience are clear,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.
