An aerosol-generating article for producing an inhalable aerosol upon heating, the aerosol-generating article comprising: a rod of aerosol-generating substrate; and a downstream section at a location downstream of the rod of aerosol-generating substrate, wherein the downstream section comprises: a support element located immediately downstream of the rod of aerosol-generating substrate, the support element being in longitudinal alignment with the rod and comprising a first hollow tubular segment having an internal diameter (D FTS ); an aerosol cooling element positioned immediately downstream of the support element and in longitudinal alignment with the support element and the rod of aerosol-generating substrate, the aerosol-cooling element comprising a second hollow tubular segment having an internal diameter (D STS ); wherein the aerosol-generating article comprises a ventilation zone at a location along the second hollow tubular segment , and wherein the internal diameter (D STS ) of the second hollow tubular segment is greater than the internal diameter (D FTS ) of the first hollow tubular segment , a ratio between the internal diameter (D STS ) of the second hollow tubular segment and the internal diameter (D FTS ) of the first hollow tubular segment being at least 1.25. a rod of aerosol-generating substrate; and a downstream section at a location downstream of the rod of aerosol-generating substrate, wherein the downstream section comprises: a support element located immediately downstream of the rod of aerosol-generating substrate, the support element being in longitudinal alignment with the rod and comprising a first hollow tubular segment having an internal diameter (D FTS ); an aerosol cooling element positioned immediately downstream of the support element and in longitudinal alignment with the support element and the rod of aerosol-generating substrate, the aerosol-cooling element comprising a second hollow tubular segment having an internal diameter (D STS ); wherein the aerosol-generating article comprises a ventilation zone at a location along the second hollow tubular segment , and wherein the internal diameter (D STS ) of the second hollow tubular segment is greater than the internal diameter (D FTS ) of the first hollow tubular segment , a ratio between the internal diameter (D STS ) of the second hollow tubular segment and the internal diameter (D FTS ) of the first hollow tubular segment being at least 1.25. a support element located immediately downstream of the rod of aerosol-generating substrate, the support element being in longitudinal alignment with the rod and comprising a first hollow tubular segment having an internal diameter (D FTS ); an aerosol cooling element positioned immediately downstream of the support element and in longitudinal alignment with the support element and the rod of aerosol-generating substrate, the aerosol-cooling element comprising a second hollow tubular segment having an internal diameter (D STS ); wherein the aerosol-generating article comprises a ventilation zone at a location along the second hollow tubular segment , and wherein the internal diameter (D STS ) of the second hollow tubular segment is greater than the internal diameter (D FTS ) of the first hollow tubular segment , a ratio between the internal diameter (D STS ) of the second hollow tubular segment and the internal diameter (D FTS ) of the first hollow tubular segment being at least 1.25. <EOS>