Lagos, Nigeria – African airlines recorded the highest growth in international air travel demand in January 2026, with revenue passenger kilometers rising 11.7 percent year-on-year, according to the International Air Transport Association global passenger demand report released on Monday.
Okay News reports that African carriers led global international demand expansion, surpassing all other regions and reflecting strong momentum in cross-border travel. Capacity, measured as available seat kilometers, rose 10.1 percent year-on-year, while the load factor reached 77.4 percent, up 1.1 percentage points from January 2025, showing more efficiently filled flights.
Globally, international demand rose 5.9 percent year-on-year with an overall load factor of 82.5 percent, a record high for the month. Domestic travel grew modestly, with overall demand up 0.1 percent and load factor at 81.2 percent. Latin American airlines followed Africa with 11.4 percent demand growth, while Middle Eastern carriers recorded 7.2 percent and European airlines 6.3 percent.
African airlines have maintained strong growth momentum, with passenger traffic rising 10.3 percent in December 2025, one of the region’s best monthly performances in recent history. For the full year 2025, African carriers recorded 7.8 percent growth in passenger demand and 6.5 percent increase in capacity. These African airlines growth reflects continued recovery from the pandemic, robust demand for international travel, and efficient capacity management across the region.
