Global air cargo demand rose 5.5% in July, according to the latest data released by the International Air Transport Association (Iata) on Friday.
Iata reported that total demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometres (CTK), had risen by 5.5% compared to July 2024 levels, while capacity had increased by 3.9% compared to July 2024.
Iata director general, Willie Walsh, said the 5.5% growth recorded represented a ‘strong result’ for the period.
“Most major trade lanes reported growth, with one significant exception: Asia–North America, where demand was down 1% year-on-year (y-o-y). A sharp decline in e-commerce, as the US de minimis exemptions on small shipments expired, was likely offset by shippers frontloading goods in advance of rising tariffs for imports to the US,” Walsh said.
“August will likely reveal more clearly the impact of shifting US trade policies. While much attention is rightly being focused on developments in markets connected to the US, it is important to keep a broad perspective on the global network,” he said.
Walsh added that a fifth of air cargo travelled on the Europe–Asia trade lane, which marked 29 months of consecutive expansion with 13.5% y-o-y growth in July.
According to Iata, factors to consider regarding the operating environment include a 3.1% increase in the global goods trade and a jet fuel price that was 9.1% lower y-o-y in July, although it was up 4.3% month-on-month.
“Global manufacturing contracted in July, with the PMI falling to 49.66, the second dip below the 50-mark growth threshold since January. New export orders also remained negative at 48.2 for the fourth month, reflecting waning confidence amid US trade policy uncertainty,” Iata said.
The organisation reported that Asia-Pacific airlines had recorded 11.1% growth in air cargo demand in July, the strongest rise of all regions and capacity increased by 7.3%. North American carriers saw a 0.7% increase in growth, the slowest of all regions, while capacity decreased by 0.6%.
European carriers recorded a 4.1% increase in demand for air cargo, and capacity increased 4%. Middle Eastern carriers saw a 2.6% increase in demand. Capacity increased by 5.9%.
Latin American carriers posted a 2.4% increase in demand for air cargo, and capacity increased by 3.8%, while African airlines saw a 9.4% increase and a 0.1% decline in capacity.
“Airfreight volumes in July 2025 increased significantly across all major trade corridors, with the exception of the Middle East–Europe, which recorded only a marginal rise, and Asia–North America, which has seen three consecutive months of decline,” Iata said.
