On July 23, 2026, the flight tracking service Flightradar24 tracked 153 359 commercial flights in a single day. This is the highest number in the company's history.

The previous record of 139 237 flights was set in July 2023. The new figure exceeds it by more than 14 thousand flights.

According to Flightradar24, the surge in activity is linked to the peak of the summer travel season in the Northern Hemisphere—the last week of July is traditionally considered one of the busiest periods for air travel.

Moreover, the record was set against the backdrop of data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which had previously recorded a weakening in passenger demand. In May 2026, global passenger traffic declined by 2,2% year-on-year—the second consecutive month of negative growth. The conflict in the Middle East had a significant impact on the statistics, causing traffic for regional carriers to fall by 28,4%. Excluding the Middle East, global demand, on the other hand, grew by 0,7%.

Analysts note a peculiar paradox: despite a decline in certain demand indicators, airlines continue to operate a busy summer schedule, and the number of flights remains at a historic high.