Global air cargo demand increased by 8.5% year-on-year in June, driven by high value-added goods and a positive market outlook

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released the June 2026 Global Air Cargo Statistics Report to the public. Data shows that global air cargo turnover (CTK, cargo ton kilometers) increased by 8.5% year-on-year in June; Among them, the freight turnover of international routes has performed even better, with a year-on-year increase of 9.6%.

From the perspective of supply and demand, the growth rate of market demand is significantly higher than the expansion speed of supply, and the demand growth rate exceeds the capacity growth rate, reflecting the recovery of global real economy foreign trade orders and the gradual tightening of market space. The available cargo ton kilometer (ACTK) represents the supply of air cargo, and although the capacity continues to grow, the expansion pace cannot keep up with the increase in cargo volume. The phenomenon of tight cabin space on some popular routes has become apparent, which has also driven the stabilization and recovery of spot air freight rates.

Regional performance shows that freight demand in all major regions of the world has achieved positive growth without any regional decline. The Asia Pacific, Europe, and North America have all achieved varying degrees of growth, with simultaneous efforts being made on long-distance ocean routes and intra regional trade routes. High value-added technology hardware, AI related components, optical modules, servers, medical devices, and urgent cross-border replenishment orders with strict time requirements have become the core driving force behind the increase in cargo volume. These types of goods have high value and are sensitive to transportation time, so air transportation is preferred to continue supporting the air freight market. In contrast, the growth of traditional bulk commodities is relatively flat.

The report also analyzes the driving factors behind it: the early start of overseas e-commerce stocking, the replenishment of manufacturing supply chains, and the resilience of cross-border e-commerce import and export business, jointly driving up the demand for air freight. But at the same time, it also suggests multiple external uncertainties, such as global inflation pressure, geopolitical conflicts in some regions, and uneven pace of consumer recovery, which will still affect the subsequent volume of goods.

Based on the market performance in June, the industry holds a cautiously optimistic attitude towards the air cargo market in the second half of the year. Entering the traditional peak season for freight transportation, the stocking season for European and American holidays will further release air freight demand. It is expected that the cargo volume of international routes will remain positive, but it cannot be ruled out that it may be affected by economic fluctuations and periodic fluctuations in cabin space. IATA also reminds freight forwarders and foreign trade enterprises to plan their cabin space in advance during peak seasons to reduce supply chain timeliness risks.