(Posted 23rd May 2026)
Despite the major disruption to travel caused by the war in Iran and the exceptionally high jet fuel prices, global air passenger ticket bookings rose by 6% in March and April, for travel between June and September, compared to the same months in 2025.
Overall ticket bookings rose the most in Asia Pacific, by 32% year-on-year (YoY). Unsurprisingly, bookings in the Middle East fell by 50% on the same basis.
Bookings for travel within each region have outpaced reservations for travel further afield in all regions apart from the Middle East. Evidently, more passengers choose to travel shorter distances.
In North America, bookings for travel outside the region are at levels observed in 2025, while bookings for within-region travel are up 7%. Europeans look set to travel 8% less to destinations outside the region than last year, while reservations for travel within the region are up a modest 2%.
In Latin America and the Caribbean, overall demand increased by 7%, with within-region bookings up 8%, and outside of region up 4%. Bookings for within-Africa travel are up strongly, by 25% YoY, albeit from a lower base. Bookings for travel outside the region are down 9%, driven predominantly by a decrease in bookings to the Middle East and Asia Pacific.
Geopolitical disruptions tend to cause shifts in booking patterns, with travelers often making their plans closer to the travel date. Bookings are likely to continue to evolve, and there is still time for travel to destinations outside of the home region to catch up, especially if geopolitical conditions were to improve.
