African airlines post 8.9% international passenger demand growth in May

African airlines recorded an 8.9% year-on-year increase in international passenger demand in May 2026, with the region’s average passenger load factor improving to 73.4%.

The figures were contained in the International Air Transport Association (IATA)’s latest report on global passenger demand for May 2026, which highlighted Africa as one of the strongest-performing aviation regions during the month.

The growth came despite a 2.2% decline in global passenger demand, largely driven by the impact of the conflict in the Middle East.

Excluding the Middle East, however, global passenger demand increased by 0.7%, underscoring the resilience of air travel across most regions.

What the report is saying

IATA said African airlines recorded an 8.9% increase in international passenger demand compared to May 2025, reflecting one of the strongest regional performances globally. The association also reported that capacity expanded by 8.3% year-on-year, while the region’s average passenger load factor improved by 0.4 percentage points to 73.4%.

• “African airlines saw an 8.9% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity was up 8.3% year-on-year. The load factor was 73.4% (+0.4 ppt compared to May 2025).”

Globally, total passenger demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPK), declined by 2.2% compared to May 2025, although demand outside the Middle East increased by 0.7%.

Total airline capacity, measured in available seat kilometres (ASK), fell by 2.3% year-on-year, while the global passenger load factor reached a record 83.5% for May, up 0.1 percentage points from a year earlier.

Although Africa recorded one of the strongest increases in passenger demand, its load factor remained the lowest among all regions, indicating there is still room for airlines to improve seat occupancy as traffic continues to recover.

More insights

IATA reported that international passenger demand declined 1.6% year-on-year globally but would have increased by 3.1% if Middle Eastern carriers were excluded. Capacity on international routes fell 2.4%, while the international load factor rose by 0.7 percentage points to 83.7%.

• Domestic passenger demand declined 3.1% year-on-year, while domestic capacity fell 2.1% and the load factor slipped to 83.0%.
• IATA Director General Willie Walsh said the decline in global passenger demand was primarily driven by the impact of the conflict in the Middle East, where airlines recorded a 28.4% drop in demand during May.
• Walsh noted that the improvement from April’s 46.6% decline demonstrates the resilience of the region’s aviation market despite ongoing disruptions.

He also warned that uncertainty over oil supplies through the Strait of Hormuz could keep operating costs elevated, potentially resulting in higher airfares as airlines seek to protect already thin profit margins.

Regional performance remained mixed, with Latin America posting the strongest demand growth at 10.5%, Europe recording a 3.8% increase, Asia-Pacific growing by 1.3%, North America rising by 1.0%, while Middle Eastern carriers remained the weakest-performing region due to the continued impact of the conflict.

What you should know

Africa’s aviation market has continued to expand despite global headwinds, supported by increasing domestic and international travel across several key markets.

• According to OAG’s June 2026 data, Egypt remains Africa’s largest aviation market, with airlines offering 2.7 million seats across domestic and international routes.
• Nigeria recorded the fastest capacity growth among Africa’s top 10 aviation markets, with total seat capacity increasing by 21.3% year-on-year, driven largely by domestic travel.
• South Africa remains the continent’s largest domestic aviation market, with about 1.5 million seats available on scheduled flights.

Ethiopian Airlines retained its position as Africa’s largest airline by scheduled seat capacity, offering 1,978,001 seats in June 2026.