Global airline capacity has dipped slightly this month following a peak in July, totaling 555.2 million seats worldwide, according to the latest data from OAG. Year-on-year growth has moderated to 2.6%, easing back from the recent trend of 3% annual growth.
Regional Trends
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Central Asia continues to lead the global recovery, posting a remarkable 22.2% increase in capacity compared to August 2024.
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Africa also reports robust growth, with Southern Africa driving the continent’s performance at +9.4% year-on-year.
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In contrast, South Asia shows a marginal decline of 0.7%, while North America remains nearly flat with just a 0.1% increase.
Airline Performance
Most of the world’s top 20 airlines are reporting capacity gains this month, though several carriers stand out:
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Southwest Airlines reduced frequency again, down 3.2% year-on-year, diverging from other U.S. majors. American Airlines posted only a modest 0.3% increase.
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IndiGo trimmed capacity slightly, down 1.9%.
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Turkish Airlines continued its strong upward trajectory with +8.3% growth, while LATAM Airlines Group expanded by 6.3%.
Domestic Market Insights
The world’s largest domestic markets are showing mixed results:
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Indonesia experienced the steepest drop, down 12.7% year-on-year.
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India, Japan, and the United States also saw slight contractions.
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Canada posted robust domestic growth at +7.5%, while Brazil (+3.9%) and Australia (+3.6%) also recorded healthy increases.
“These figures highlight the uneven nature of the aviation recovery,” said [Insert Spokesperson Name, Title, OAG]. “While growth remains strong in regions such as Central Asia and Africa, mature markets like North America and South Asia are showing signs of capacity consolidation.”
