Global air travel demand falls 3.4% in April

Global air travel demand fell 3.4% year-on-year in April 2026, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), as the impact of the Iran war continued to weigh on aviation markets worldwide. Demand among Middle East carriers fell 48.1% year-on-year, while global demand excluding the region increased 1.2%.

Airlines also reduced capacity by 2.9% year-on-year as carriers adjusted schedules in response to weaker demand and ongoing disruption. Middle East carriers recorded the steepest decline of any region, with capacity down 38.4%. 

Domestic markets were broadly stable, with growth in Brazil, China and Japan offset by declines in Australia, India and the US.

Elsewhere, Latin America posted the strongest growth at 8.9%, followed by Asia-Pacific at 3.0%. European demand increased 0.9%, North American demand was unchanged and African carriers reported growth of 2.2%.

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Willie Walsh, Director General of IATA, said: “The 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%.”

Walsh added that the situation for air transport remains highly volatile, with jet fuel costs more than doubling in April as airlines balance higher operating costs against weaker demand. 

According to Bloomberg data, jet fuel prices rose from around US$831 per tonne before the war to a peak of US$1,838 in early April 2026 before easing to approximately US$1,560. EasyJet reported around US$25 million in additional fuel costs during March 2026.

The April figures follow a sharp deterioration in March, when international demand recorded its first decline since 2021. Another recent study by Airports Council International Asia-Pacific & Middle East (ACI APAC & MID) estimated that disruptions linked to the conflict could result in economic losses of between US$900 million and US$1 billion for Middle East airports.

Airlines continue to adjust schedules in response to ongoing operational challenges. Swiss International Air Lines has extended the suspension of flights between Zurich, Switzerland and Dubai, UAE until 13 September, while KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has cancelled services to Saudi Arabia and Dubai through 14 June. British Airways has also delayed the resumption of flights to the UAE, Qatar and Israel until 1 August.

For more information, visit www.iata.org