Iran war cost Middle East airports 27 million passengers and $1 billion

Analysis by the Airports Council International Asia-Pacific & Middle East (ACI APAC & MID) claims that nine Middle Eastern airports lost an estimated 27 million passengers and up to $1 billion dollars in the two months following the start of the Iran war.

On May 13, 2025, the Airports Council International in collaboration with Flare Aviation Consulting, stated that from February 28 to April 30, 2026, the nine unnamed airports suffered a “disproportionate and sustained burden” due to their position as one of the world’s most important transport corridors.

ACI said the nine airports operated at an average of just 53% of pre-conflict scheduled flights across March and April 2026 with operations falling as low as 32% of scheduled capacity on the first day of the conflict.

While the airports collectively handled 324 million passengers in 2025, equivalent to 540,000 passengers daily, this fell to 97,000 per day.

An estimated 27 million passengers across the nine airports did not travel as planned during March and April 2026, representing a year-on-year decline of 54%.

LIVE FROM BANGKOKOur DG Stefano Baronci delivered keynote drawing a clear-eyed picture of the world airports are operating in today, one shaped by geopolitical fragmentation, the ongoing Middle East conflict, surging fuel costs & the accelerating pace of technological change pic.twitter.com/4BzCtZNsjy— ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East (@ACIAPACMID) May 13, 2026 ACI described the financial implications as a “loss of exceptional magnitude” with the revenue shortfall incurred by the nine airports over the two-month period estimated at $900 million to $1 billion.

The data revealed that airfares in July and August 2026, to and from Middle East were priced at an average of 50% above pre-conflict levels. The primary driver behind these increases is reduced airline competition.

The report said that while “fuel stocks remain stable, for the majority of airports market conditions are tightening, with jet fuel prices remaining nearly double pre-conflict levels”.

“The scale of disruption observed over two months underscores the critical role of airports as enablers of connectivity, socio-economic growth, and passenger experience. The aviation ecosystem in Asia-Pacific and Middle East is proving to be resilient, but we are at a critical juncture, since a protracted instability over the summer period may have far more negative impact of the economic sustainability of the airport sector,” said Stefano Baronci, Director General, ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East.

He added: “Against a backdrop of renewed upward pressure on jet fuel prices, longer routings driven by geopolitical tensions, persistent supply bottlenecks, and chronically elevated inflation, public policy should not add yet another layer of cost to air travel.”

In the final week of April 2026, operations rose to approximately 63% of scheduled capacity and overall passenger traffic in Asia-Pacific remains resilient.

“Airspace restrictions, security risks, and elevated fuel prices are likely to weigh on demand and airline capacity. The pace of recovery will depend on coordinated airspace reopening, clearer regulatory guidance, stabilization of fuel markets, and the ability of Middle Eastern carriers to rebuild networks and restore passenger confidence,” said ACI.

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