Global aviation began 2026 on a positive note, with passenger and cargo traffic both posting year-on-year increases in January, according to the International Air Transport Association, DKNews.kz reports.
The data show continued recovery momentum, although growth rates varied across regions and segments.
Passenger demand shows stable expansion
Total passenger demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers, rose by 3.8 percent compared to January last year.
International traffic led the growth, while domestic markets remained nearly flat.
Key January indicators included:
- total passenger demand up 3.8 percent year-on-year
- international traffic up 5.9 percent
- domestic traffic up 0.1 percent
- total capacity up 3.5 percent
- load factor at 82.0 percent, a January record
Analysts noted that the shift of the Lunar New Year to February 2026 partly moderated year-on-year comparisons.
“The shift of the Lunar New Year from January in 2025 to February in 2026 partly explains the more moderate growth this January. However, underlying fundamentals remain strong, and we expect demand to continue growing steadily throughout 2026,” said IATA Director General Willie Walsh.
Regionally, Africa and Latin America recorded the strongest international demand growth, rising by 11.7 percent and 11.4 percent respectively.
IATA projects that global capacity could expand by 5.2 percent by March, marking the fastest pace of growth since April 2024.
Air cargo continues upward trend
Air cargo markets also started the year with solid gains.
Cargo demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometers, increased by 5.6 percent year-on-year, while international cargo grew by 7.2 percent.
Key cargo figures for January:
- total cargo demand up 5.6 percent
- international cargo up 7.2 percent
- capacity up 3.6 percent
- load factor at 45.1 percent
Growth was recorded in most regions. Africa posted the strongest increase at 18.2 percent, followed by the Middle East at 9.3 percent.
In contrast, North America and Latin America saw slight declines, at minus 0.5 percent and minus 2.0 percent respectively. Volumes on the Asia–North America trade lane also edged down by 0.6 percent.
“The year has started positively for air cargo markets, although performance remains uneven across regions. In the coming months, market dynamics will largely depend on geopolitical developments and changes in trade policy,” Walsh added.
Outlook for 2026
Industry experts say the data suggest a stable start to the year, supported by resilient demand for international travel and freight services.
However, geopolitical tensions, trade policy shifts, and economic uncertainty could shape market dynamics in the months ahead.
For now, the aviation sector appears to be entering 2026 with cautious optimism and solid operational performance.
