African airlines recorded a 5.0% increase in passenger traffic in September 2026 compared with September 2025, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Their growth contrasted with a 0.5% decline in global passenger demand.
Capacity among African carriers increased by 7.7% over the same period. With capacity growing faster than traffic, the total passenger load factor fell by 1.9 percentage points to 73.5%. These total-market figures include international and domestic operations.
IATA measures demand in revenue passenger-kilometres (RPK) and capacity in available seat-kilometres (ASK). Passenger load factor measures the proportion of available seat-kilometres used. The traffic growth figures measure passenger-kilometres, not a change in the number of passengers alone.
International traffic grows 8%
African airlines’ international passenger traffic increased by 8.0% year-on-year in September, while international capacity rose by 8.8%. Their international load factor was 74.8%, down 0.6 percentage points from September 2025.
The international figures are separate from the 5.0% growth reported for African airlines’ total passenger traffic. IATA’s regional table also gives African carriers a 2.2% share of industry RPKs in 2025; this is the reference-year share, not a September 2026 market-share figure.
Global demand remains below last year
Worldwide, total capacity declined by 0.2% year-on-year in September. The global passenger load factor stood at 83.2%, down 0.3 percentage points. Excluding the Middle East, total demand increased by 0.3%.
Global international demand grew by 0.4%, or 1.7% excluding the Middle East. International capacity increased by 0.5%, with a load factor of 83.6%, down 0.1 percentage points. Domestic demand fell by 2.2%, while domestic capacity contracted by 1.3%. The domestic load factor was 82.5%, down 0.7 percentage points.
Marie Owens Thomsen, IATA’s Senior Vice President Sustainability and Chief Economist, attributed the global demand decline to weakness in the Middle East and North America. She said September nevertheless represented an improvement from August, with most international markets returning to growth.
Looking ahead, Owens Thomsen said global scheduled seat capacity was expected to remain above 2025 levels in October and November, although growth remained weak and uneven between regions. She identified geopolitical uncertainty and volatile fuel prices as part of the continuing operating environment.
The figures, released on 30 October 2026, cover scheduled international and domestic traffic for IATA member and non-member airlines. IATA notes that the data are provisional, include estimates for missing information and are subject to revision.
