Total air demand in August decreased 0.8% year over year, according to the latest report from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Excluding the Middle East, demand grew by 0.6%. Global air demand had recovered slightly in July after declining each month since March as a result of the conflict in the Middle East.
Total capacity in August, as measured in available seat kilometers, increased 0.3% year over year. The global load factor was 85.1%, down 0.9 percentage points versus August 2025.
International demand fell 0.9% year over year in August. Excluding the Middle East, it grew by 1.3%, according to IATA. International capacity was flat compared with the previous year, while load factor was 85%, down 0.8 percentage points.
Domestic demand in August fell 0.5% year over year. Domestic capacity increased 0.7%, and load factor was 85.3%, down 1.1 percentage points for the period.
Marie Owens Thomsen, senior vice president of sustainability and chief economist, said, “With some important exceptions, such as domestic China, global connectivity was generally weaker in August.” She continued: “The coming months will reveal whether travelers, whose purchasing power has been reduced by higher energy prices, are adjusting their travel budgets and might be discouraged from traveling due to the prevailing geopolitical instability. In the meantime, forward schedules for October are showing cautious optimism with 2% growth [year over year] in available seats.”
Source: www.businesstravelexecutive.com
