Quantcast

Air cargo sees steady growth amid shifting economic indicators

Tycoon unveils £25 billion rival Heathrow expansion plan
Boeing and Airbus ground green plane projects
Proposals for commercial planes to operate with one pilot shelved after critical EU report
Air Travel Fatalities Up 300% in 2024, According to Shocking Global Report
Aviation sector faces steeper losses in FY26; passenger growth slows amid headwinds: ICRA - The Times of India
Boeing Halts Strike Talks Amid $36 Billion Deal & Union Dispute
FAA’s Broader Runway Safety Push Builds on EMAS Legacy
Ryanair CEO says aviation sustainability targets are 'dying a death'
US FAA funds system to prevent accidents involving runaway airplanes
Exclusive: Korean Air makes airline's biggest-ever Boeing jet order amid Trump-Lee summit
Boeing Stock Jumps on Massive Korean Air Order
FAA EMAS: Proven Safety Wins Since 1996
Air Canada flight attendants try to build on US gains on unpaid work
Cathay Pacific warns of declining fares and cargo uncertainty, shares fall
Clear intentions, cloudy path: aviation's ongoing ESG challenge
Turkish Airlines is preparing binding offer for Spain's Air Europa, executive says
Air Canada flight attendants approve strike mandate
US criticizes use of AI to personalize airline ticket prices, would investigate
Ethiopian Airlines' annual revenue rises as it draws more passengers, adds routes
Major strike action to hit 12 Spanish airports that have Ryanair flights
JetBlue, United partnership gets go-ahead from U.S. Transportation Department
United-JetBlue partnership gets US DOT approval
The aviation industry just got exactly what it wanted from Trump's EU deal
Air India Warned Over Crew Fatigue and Training Failures Following Fatal Crash
Heathrow Chief Defends £50–60 billion Third Runway Amid Rising Costs Debate
New UK airline with cheap US fares is ‘parked’ after just TWO flights – with people fearing it’s been scrapped for good
US carriers shamed in surprising new list of the world’s ‘cleanest’ airlines
Air Force Pilot Wasn't Alerted to Collision Course with Passenger Jet Before Scary Near Miss, Says Official
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy may deny flights from Mexico over broken aviation agreement
Plane Makes Emergency Landing After ‘Unruly’ Passenger Attempts to Open Exit Door Mid-Flight
Air cargo sees steady growth amid shifting economic indicators
Research
Webp na2wfjoh09m28htnmhrtmqx4tqzp
Muhammad Albakri Senior Vice President, Financial Settlement & Distribution Services | International Air Transport Association

Total demand for air cargo, measured in cargo tonne-kilometers (CTKs), increased by 9.4% in September 2024 compared to the same month last year. This growth marks the 14th consecutive month of expansion, with international operations seeing a rise of 10.5%. Capacity, assessed through available cargo tonne-kilometers (ACTKs), rose by 6.4%, driven largely by a continued increase in international belly capacity.

Willie Walsh, IATA's Director General, commented on this performance: “September performance brought continued good news for air cargo markets. With 9.4% year-on-year growth, cargo volumes continued to mark all-time highs for demand. Yields are also improving, up 11.7% on 2023 and 50% above 2019 levels. All this points to a strong finish for this year."

In terms of industrial production and global goods trade, there was an increase of 1.6% and 2.8%, respectively, indicating a positive trend over six months.

Get the Newsletter
Sign-up to receive weekly round up of news from Sky Industry News
By submitting, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. By providing your phone number you are opting in and consenting to receive recurring SMS/MMS messages, including automated texts, to that number from our short code. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help, STOP to end. SMS opt-in will not be sold, rented, or shared.

Despite these gains, the Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) for global manufacturing output stood at 49.4 and new export orders at 47.5, both below the threshold indicating contraction.

Inflation trends showed some easing with US headline inflation dropping by 0.2 percentage points to reach 2.4%, while EU inflation decreased by 0.3 percentage points to stand at 2.1%. China's consumer inflation remained low at just 0.4%.

Regionally, Latin America led with a significant growth rate of 20.9% in air cargo demand over the previous year, while Africa recorded the slowest growth at just 1.7%. Asia-Pacific and Europe both saw an increase of approximately 11.7%, while North America experienced a more modest rise of only 3.8%.

Trade lanes reported notable activity with Asia-North America showing continuous growth over eleven months at +7.6%. The Middle East-Europe route marked fourteen consecutive months of expansion with +15.6%.

Overall market share based on CTK shows Asia-Pacific holding the largest portion at around one-third (33%), followed by North America and Europe.

Organizations Included in this History
More News

Delta Air Lines will introduce new in-flight menu options created by celebrity chef José Andrés starting November 4.

Oct 25, 2025

The Blue Sky partnership between United Airlines and JetBlue launched today, allowing members of both airlines’ loyalty programs to earn and redeem points across the two carriers.

Oct 25, 2025

Air Canada is set to expand its presence at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ) by introducing four new nonstop routes to the United States in 2026.

Oct 25, 2025

United Airlines has announced it will add 10 new destinations from its Chicago O'Hare International Airport hub starting next year.

Oct 25, 2025

The partnership between United Airlines and JetBlue, known as Blue Sky, has officially launched.

Oct 25, 2025

American Airlines will introduce its new Airbus A321XLR aircraft on December 18, marking the first time a U.S. airline operates this model.

Oct 25, 2025