LATAM Airlines Sees Year-on-Year Growth in Passenger Traffic for February 2026

LATAM Airlines Group Reports February 2026 Traffic Growth

LATAM Airlines Group (LTM) announced a year-over-year rise in revenue passenger-kilometers (RPK), an indicator of air travel demand, for February 2026.

The airline’s total capacity, measured in available seat-kilometers (ASK), expanded by 11.4% compared to the previous year. This growth was fueled by a 14.8% jump in international flights and a 12.5% increase within LATAM Airlines Brazil’s domestic network.

Overall, LATAM’s consolidated RPK climbed 14.4% year over year, reflecting gains across all business segments. International routes saw an 18% boost, while domestic traffic in Brazil surged by 15.6%.

Because passenger traffic grew faster than capacity, the company’s load factor—the percentage of seats occupied—improved to 85.6% in February 2026, up from 83.3% a year earlier.

During February 2026, LATAM Airlines carried 7.1 million travelers, marking a 9.3% increase from the prior year. Year-to-date, the airline has served 15.3 million passengers, up 9.2% year over year.

LTM’s Stock Performance and Analyst Rating

Currently, LATAM Airlines holds a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).

Over the past twelve months, shares of LTM have soared 60.5%, significantly outpacing the Zacks Airline industry’s 22.4% gain.

LTM Stock: One-Year Price Trend

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

February 2026 Traffic Update: Ryanair Holdings

In addition to LATAM, Ryanair Holdings (RYAAY) also released its February 2026 traffic results.

The European carrier transported 13.3 million passengers during the month, a 6% increase from the previous year. This figure also surpassed January’s total of 12.7 million, indicating strong ongoing demand.

Ryanair’s load factor remained steady at 92% year over year in February 2026, and improved from 91% in January, demonstrating consistent passenger demand for its services.

The airline operated more than 75,000 flights in February, up from 73,000 in January, reflecting expanded operations to accommodate higher passenger volumes.

For its fiscal year ending March 2025, Ryanair carried 200.2 million travelers—a 9% increase year over year—making it the first European airline to surpass 200 million passengers in a single year. The company’s low fares and cost efficiency have been key drivers of this achievement. In the first nine months of fiscal 2026, Ryanair’s traffic rose 4% to 166.5 million passengers.

Given these positive trends, Ryanair has raised its traffic forecast for fiscal 2026, now expecting a 4% increase to 208 million passengers (up from its previous estimate of 207 million). This outlook is supported by earlier-than-anticipated Boeing aircraft deliveries and robust demand in the first three quarters of the fiscal year.

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