Middle East Air Travel Demand Falls 14.6%
Demand for air travel in the Middle East fell sharply by 14.6% in August, while global air travel demand dropped by 0.8% compared with August 2025, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Marie Owens Thomsen, IATA’s Senior Vice President for Sustainability and Chief Economist, said the recovery of airlines in the Middle East suffered a setback, with demand in the region falling 14.6% year-on-year.
She said global air travel demand, excluding Middle Eastern airlines, grew by 0.6% in August, half the growth rate recorded in July.
Global air connectivity was generally weaker in August, except in some markets, including China’s domestic market.
Thomsen said the coming months will show whether higher energy prices and lower purchasing power will lead travellers to reduce their travel budgets, and whether ongoing geopolitical tensions will affect their travel plans.
Airline schedules for October show cautious optimism, with available seats expected to increase by 2%.
Middle East
Airlines in the Middle East recorded a 14.2% year-on-year drop in demand. Capacity fell by 9%, while the passenger load factor stood at 79.1%, down 4.8 percentage points.
The decline in air traffic became worse in August, reversing the gradual stabilisation seen since the Iran war in February. Traffic on Middle East-Asia routes fell 11.7% year-on-year, compared with an 8.6% decline in July.
Asia-Pacific
Airlines in the Asia-Pacific region recorded a 0.1% year-on-year decline in demand. Capacity fell by 0.9%, while the load factor reached 85.6%, up 0.7 percentage points.
Traffic within Asia fell by 2%, while capacity declined for the fourth consecutive month. In contrast, traffic between Asia and North America increased by 2.5%.
Europe
European airlines recorded a 2.1% year-on-year increase in demand, while capacity rose by 2.8%.
The load factor stood at 86.8%, down 0.6 percentage points. Traffic between Europe and Asia continued to grow strongly, rising 12.2%.
However, transatlantic traffic fell by 2.4%, with declines recorded in several markets, including the UK and France.
North America
Airlines in North America recorded a 1.7% year-on-year decline in demand. Capacity fell by 1.1%, while the load factor reached 86.8%, down 0.5 percentage points.
Latin America
Airlines in Latin America recorded a 6.7% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity rose by 6.4%, while the load factor reached 84.8%, up 0.2 percentage points.
Africa
African airlines recorded a 6.7% year-on-year increase in demand, while capacity rose by 8.3%.
The load factor stood at 78.4%, down 1.2 percentage points.
