Flight Range Analysis

08. Flight Range Analysis Short / Medium / Long-Haul Distribution | February 2026 Note: Short-haul ≤500nm | Medium-haul 500-2000nm | Long-haul >2000nm. Based on great circle distance. Global Flight Volume by Range Category

Short-Haul 116,150 February 2026 Departures YoY -17.63% MoM -19.81% Medium-Haul 86,709 February 2026 Departures YoY -16.04% MoM -20.86% Long-Haul 8,284 February 2026 Departures YoY -0.13% MoM -21.25% Flight Distribution by Range Category — February 2026 vs Comparatives

55.0% 41.1% 3.9% 55.8% 40.9% 3.3% 54.7% 41.3% 4.0% Short-Haul (≤500nm) Medium-Haul (500-2000nm) Long-Haul (>2000nm) Integrated Performance Insights February 2026 saw broad-based year-over-year declines across all three range categories, marking a notable shift from January's mixed performance. The Long-Haul segment (>2000nm) demonstrated the strongest resilience, recording only a marginal -0.13% YoY decline to 8,284 flights. However, all segments experienced steep month-over-month contractions, with Long-Haul posting the deepest MoM decline at -21.25%, followed by Medium-Haul at -20.86% and Short-Haul at -19.81%. The uniformity of MoM declines reflects the shorter February calendar compressing volumes across all range categories.

The Short-Haul segment (≤500nm), while still constituting the largest portion of the market at 116,150 flights, registered the steepest year-over-year decline at -17.63%, losing over 24,800 departures compared to February 2025. The Medium-Haul segment (500-2000nm) followed a similar trajectory with a -16.04% YoY contraction, shedding approximately 16,500 flights. The severity of these declines across both segments suggests factors beyond simple calendar effects, pointing to broader demand softening in the short and medium-range mission categories.

The year-over-year data reveals a continuing structural shift in flight range distribution. Short-Haul flights now account for 55.01% of operations, down from 55.83% in February 2025, a decrease of 0.82 percentage points. Long-Haul share increased from 3.28% to 3.92% (+0.64 pp), while Medium-Haul edged up from 40.89% to 41.06% (+0.17 pp), confirming the sustained market evolution towards longer-range flights.

The comparative data across February 2026, February 2025, and January 2026 reveals the continuation of a longer-term trend: a gradual shift in market composition towards longer-range operations. The combined share of Medium and Long-Haul flights in February 2026 reached 44.98% (41.06% + 3.92%), up from 44.17% in February 2025 and compared with 45.31% in January 2026. The slight MoM dip in combined longer-range share reflects seasonal variations rather than a reversal of the structural trend.

Operational efficiency analysis suggests that while short-haul flights continue to provide essential high-frequency connectivity, the increasing share of medium and long-haul sectors points to a growing emphasis on maximizing asset utilization. The Long-Haul segment's near-flat YoY performance (-0.13%) stands in stark contrast to the double-digit declines in Short and Medium-Haul, underscoring that intercontinental and long-range missions remain structurally resilient even amid broader market softness. Operators continue to deploy aircraft on routes where business aviation offers the most significant time-saving advantages over commercial alternatives.

Looking ahead, the divergence between Long-Haul resilience and Short/Medium-Haul weakness may indicate a market recalibration where operators are prioritizing higher-value, longer-range missions during periods of demand uncertainty. As seasonal patterns normalize into the spring months, the short and medium-haul segments are expected to recover, while the long-haul category should maintain its structural growth trajectory, driven by sustained demand for intercontinental business travel.