New figures from the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) indicate that passenger demand for air travel is expected to continue rising into 2026, with younger travellers and improved satisfaction levels contributing to the projected growth.
According to the CAA’s latest consumer survey, 62% of respondents said they had taken at least one flight in the past 12 months. Around 31% reported that they expect to fly more in 2026 than they did last year, while 55% said their flying habits are likely to remain unchanged.
The intention to fly more frequently is more common among younger adults. Among those aged 18 to 34, 72% reported flying within the past year and 47% said they plan to increase the number of flights they take in 2026. This compares with 29% of those aged 35 to 54 and 22% of people aged 55 and over who expect to fly more.
Overall passenger satisfaction with the flying experience stands at 88%, the strongest recorded level since the survey began in 2016. However, satisfaction levels are lower among some groups, including disabled passengers and those facing accessibility challenges, digital barriers, or financial pressures. Satisfaction among respondents with disability or accessibility needs was recorded at 82%, while digitally unconfident and financially vulnerable consumers each reported satisfaction levels of 80%.
The proportion of passengers who made complaints following flight disruption remained steady at 15%. Of those who complained, 72% said they were satisfied with how their complaint was handled, an increase of 10 percentage points compared with the previous year.
Selina Chadha, Group Director of Consumers and Markets at the UK Civil Aviation Authority said:Consumers want to fly more and 2026 is lining up to be another year of growth, fuelled by demand from younger passengers.
While it is encouraging that 88% of consumers are satisfied with their overall experience of flying, this figure drops for certain vulnerability groups - including those with accessibility/disability needs, those facing digital barriers and those facing financial constraints.
It’s good to see passenger satisfaction with complaints handling increasing and we’d encourage the industry to continue focussing on making sure they deal with passenger complaints as efficiently as possible.
Cost remains a significant barrier, with 36% of non-flyers citing financial reasons for not travelling by air. At the same time, 76% of respondents said they were satisfied with value for money, a figure that has risen compared with recent years.
Environmental concerns remain widespread, with three quarters of respondents saying they are worried about climate change and environmental impacts. However, only 32% believe that reducing aviation’s environmental impact should be the sector’s main priority.
The survey also found that disabled passengers are less likely to have flown recently, with 42% reporting a flight in the past year.
