African airlines recorded one of the strongest increases in international passenger demand in July, with traffic rising 6.4% year-on-year, significantly outperforming the global market, according to the latest data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
The growth came as airlines across the continent expanded international capacity by 9.0%, although the faster increase in available seats pushed the regional load factor down 1.8 percentage points to 74.1%.
Despite the softer load factor, Africa’s performance stood out against a largely subdued global market. International passenger demand worldwide fell 0.1% in July compared with the same month in 2025, while capacity increased 0.3%. Excluding Middle Eastern carriers, however, international demand grew 1.5%.
Latin American airlines recorded the strongest regional growth at 7.1%, followed by Africa at 6.4% and Europe at 3.1%. Asia-Pacific carriers recorded a 0.7% decline, while North American airlines saw demand fall 2.3%. Middle Eastern carriers experienced the sharpest decline, with demand down 9.5%, although the contraction continued to moderate from the double-digit falls recorded earlier in the year.
For Africa, the July figures reinforce the continent’s growing role in the recovery and expansion of international air travel. The combination of rising passenger demand and a substantial increase in capacity points to continued opportunities for airlines seeking to strengthen connectivity within Africa and between the continent and major global markets.
Globally, total passenger demand increased just 0.2% year-on-year in July, while capacity grew 0.3%, resulting in a load factor of 85.2%. Domestic demand was somewhat stronger, increasing 0.6%, with capacity up 0.2% and the domestic load factor reaching 85.3%.
IATA Senior Vice President Sustainability and Chief Economist, Marie Owens Thomsen, described the peak Northern Hemisphere summer travel season as largely positive for the industry, despite persistent economic and geopolitical pressures.
“The peak Northern summer travel season is a mostly positive story for air travel,” Thomsen said. She noted that overall growth was achieved despite declines by carriers in North America and the Middle East, while traffic through Gulf hubs continued to recover.
She added that airlines remain confident about demand for the remainder of the year, with seat capacity expected to expand by almost 3% in September.
Within the international market, European carriers delivered particularly strong results, recording a 3.1% increase in demand alongside 3.2% capacity growth. Passenger traffic between Europe and Asia jumped 12.1%, making it the fastest-growing major international corridor during the month.
Latin American airlines also posted robust growth, with demand rising 7.1% and capacity increasing 7.2%. Asia-Pacific carriers, meanwhile, recorded a 0.7% decline in demand even as capacity fell 1.7%, lifting their load factor to 84.5%.
North American demand dropped 2.3%, matching the decline in capacity, while traffic on the key transatlantic corridor fell 2.2%, with notable reductions in traffic from the UK, France and Spain.
The Middle Eastern market continued to feel the impact of regional disruption. Demand fell 9.5%, compared with a 5.8% reduction in capacity, bringing the load factor down 3.3 percentage points to 80.9%. IATA said, however, that the decline is moderating as Gulf hub traffic continues its recovery.
Domestic passenger markets provided a more stable picture, with global domestic RPK increasing 0.6% in July. China and Brazil recorded strong growth, while the United States, Australia and India experienced declines.
For African aviation, the July performance offers an encouraging signal as airlines navigate high fuel costs, economic uncertainty and geopolitical tensions. Sustaining the momentum will depend increasingly on the continent’s ability to expand capacity while improving load factors, strengthening regional connectivity and capturing a greater share of the growing demand for international travel.
