Global airport passenger growth slows sharply in 2026: ACI World
Dhaka: Airports worldwide handled a record 9.8 billion passengers in 2025, according to Airports Council International (ACI) World's newly released 2026 Annual World Airport Traffic Report (WATR). Air cargo volumes also hit an all-time high during the year.
However, growth has slowed markedly in 2026, with geopolitical tensions and economic headwinds weighing on passenger numbers even as cargo demand continues to expand, the Montreal-based body said in a release on September 23.
The figures, published in the report, draw on data from 2,817 commercial airports globally, covering an estimated 97% of scheduled passenger traffic worldwide, making it ACI World's largest dataset compiled so far.
"The 2025 results confirm what this industry has shown year after year: long-term demand for air travel remains strong, and more capacity will be needed," said ACI World Director General Justin Erbacci.
He added that meeting this demand requires expanding capacity while extracting more value from existing infrastructure, alongside regulatory support for encouraging investment and continued recognition of airports as strategic community assets.
Cargo, movements also climb
Global air cargo volumes reached a record 131.2 million tonnes in 2025, while aircraft movements climbed to 103.1 million, the report said.
International travel led the passenger growth, rising 6.1% year-on-year, well ahead of domestic growth of 1.7%. Overall, air cargo rose 3.3%, and aircraft movements increased 2.0% during the year.
Passenger growth was strong across nearly every region. Africa posted the sharpest rise at 9.0%, followed by the Middle East at 6.5%, Asia-Pacific at 5.1%, and Latin America and the Caribbean at 4.5%.
Europe also recorded solid growth of 4.2%. North America was the only region to see a decline, with traffic slipping 0.7% amid weaker domestic demand.
Slowdown deepens in 2026
The first half of 2026 has painted a more complicated picture, according to the report. Global passenger traffic reached approximately 4.7 billion during the period, up just 0.6% year-on-year, a sharp slowdown from 2025's pace.
Africa, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Asia-Pacific continued to post growth, while North America remained largely flat. The Middle East recorded the steepest decline, with traffic down 21%, as the region absorbed the impact of an escalating crisis and airspace disruption.
Despite the near-term volatility, the report expressed confidence in the industry's longer-term trajectory. It said the fundamental drivers of aviation demand, including rising populations, growing incomes, expanding connectivity, and sustained appetite for mobility, remain firmly intact.
