Further down this page are graphs and summary analysis relating to domestic aviation activity. Additional information can also be found at the following links:

• Time series data
• Australian Domestic Aviation Activity—Monthly Publications
• Australian Domestic Aviation Activity—Annual Publications
• Domestic Aviation Activity—Cities and Regions

Summary

There were 5.41 million passengers carried on Australian domestic commercial aviation (including charter operations) in January 2026, compared with 5.45 million in January 2025 (down 0.8%). This is also an increase of 1.1% on pre-COVID January 2020 passenger numbers (5.35 million).

5.05 million passengers were carried on Regular Public Transport (RPT) flights in January 2026 (excluding charter operations), a decrease of 0.8% compared to January 2025.

For the month of January 2026, there were 49.3 thousand RPT aircraft trips, an increase of 0.3% on January 2025.

RPT revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs) performed were 6.19 billion for the month, compared with 6.26 billion in January 2025 (down 1.1%).

Capacity, measured by available seat kilometres (ASKs), increased to 7.63 billion in January 2026 compared to 7.44 billion in January 2025 (up 2.6%).

The industry wide load factor (RPKs/ASKs) decreased from 84.1% in January 2025 to 81.1% in January 2026.

Total cargo movements at Australian airports on domestic RPT flights were 24.3 thousand tonnes in January 2026, a decrease of 0.6% compared with January 2025.

In January 2026, there were 2.07 million domestic passenger movements through regional airports, a decrease of 1.0% from January 2025.

Fixed-wing charter operators carried 351.3 thousand passengers in January 2026, a decrease of 1.0% compared with January 2025.

Summary of annual RPT activity

* percentage point difference