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Air cargo demand rises despite challenges from shifting US trade policies

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Air cargo demand rises despite challenges from shifting US trade policies
Research
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Willie Walsh Director General | International Air Transport Association

Total demand for air cargo increased by 2.2% in May 2025 compared to the same month last year, according to recent data. This growth was more pronounced in international operations, which saw a rise of 3.0%. Capacity also experienced an uptick, growing by 2.0% overall and 2.6% for international operations.

Willie Walsh, Director General of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), commented on the situation: “Air cargo demand globally grew 2.2% in May. That is encouraging news as a 10.7% drop in traffic on the Asia to North America trade lane illustrated the dampening effect of shifting US trade policies."

Despite global manufacturing contraction and pressure from U.S. trade policy changes, air cargo volumes outpaced global goods trade growth significantly over this period.

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In regional performance, Asia-Pacific airlines led with an 8.3% increase in demand for air cargo, while North American carriers faced a decrease of -5.8%. European carriers experienced moderate growth at 1.6%, Middle Eastern carriers at 3.6%, Latin American carriers at 3.1%, and African airlines saw a decline of -2.1%.

The Asia-North America trade lane showed a significant decline of -10.7%, attributed to policy shifts affecting small package shipments associated with e-commerce.

Organizations Included in this History
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