Global air cargo demand reached a record level in 2025, driven by e-commerce growth and shifts in global trade patterns, according to new data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Full-year demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometres (CTKs), rose by 3.4% compared with 2024, while capacity increased by 3.7%. International operations grew faster, with demand up 4.2% and capacity rising 5.1%. December capped the year with continued momentum, as global demand increased 4.3% year-on-year and capacity rose 4.5%.
IATA said yields declined by 1.5% over the year, the smallest fall in three years, as supply and demand moved closer to balance. Despite competitive pressure, air cargo yields remained 37.2% above 2019 levels.
Willie Walsh said strong e-commerce volumes and tariff-related trade adjustments supported demand, with shippers front-loading cargo ahead of policy changes and redirecting flows within Asia and between Asia and Europe as US–Asia trade weakened.
Regionally, Asia-Pacific airlines recorded the strongest growth, with full-year demand up 8.4% and capacity rising 7.4%. African carriers also performed strongly, with demand up 6.0% for the year and a 10.1% rise in December, the fastest monthly growth of any region. Europe posted 2.9% growth in 2025, while Middle Eastern carriers saw demand rise 0.3%.
North America was the only region to record a full-year decline, with demand falling 1.3% and capacity down 1.1%. Latin American and Caribbean carriers saw 2.3% annual growth, although December demand dropped 4.1%.
Trade lane data showed a shift in flows away from Asia–North America towards Asia–Europe, reflecting tariff pressures and the removal of US de minimis exemptions. Europe–Asia traffic rose 10.3% in 2025, while Within Asia grew 10.0%. By contrast, Asia–North America declined 0.8%.
IATA expects growth to moderate in 2026, with global air cargo demand forecast to rise by 2.4%, in line with long-term historical trends, as trade and geopolitical developments continue to shape market conditions.