- IATA reports 3.9pc air cargo demand growth for July 2026
- North American carriers strongest with 4.8pc growth
- Asia-North America trade lane records 9.2pc growth
- Gulf-linked corridors remain disrupted by Middle East conflict
- Global trade increases 7.5pc year-on-year
The International Air Transport Association has released data for July 2026 global air cargo markets showing total demand increased by 3.9pc compared to July 2025. Capacity increased by 1.7pc compared to July 2025, with the cargo load factor reaching 46.0pc, up 1.0 percentage points. Airlines in Asia-Pacific, Europe and North America accounted for more than 90pc of the overall increase in demand.
North American carriers saw a 4.8pc year-on-year increase in air cargo demand in July, the strongest performance of all regions, with capacity decreasing by 1.5pc year-on-year. European carriers saw a 4.4pc year-on-year increase in demand, with capacity increasing by 1.3pc. Asia-Pacific airlines experienced a 4.1pc growth in air cargo demand, with capacity increasing by 3.0pc. Dedicated freighters gained market share as belly-hold traffic declined, possibly reflecting demand for larger or specialist shipments and the operational flexibility freighters provide.
Trade lane performance diverged across major corridors in July, with Asia-North America recording the strongest growth at 9.2pc with six consecutive months of growth. Europe-Asia grew 3.1pc with 41 consecutive months of growth, while Europe-North America grew 2.1pc with three consecutive months of growth. Gulf-linked corridors remained disrupted by the conflict in the Middle East, with Europe-Middle East contracting 16.1pc and Middle East-Asia contracting 14.1pc. Global trade increased by 7.5pc year-on-year, though jet fuel prices rose 12.2pc month-on-month in July and stood 56.9pc higher than a year earlier.
Marie Owens Thomsen shared: “Air cargo demand grew 3.9pc year-on-year in July, with all regions recording growth and airlines in Asia-Pacific, Europe and North America accounting for more than 90pc of the overall increase.”
