Air cargo traffic grows 2.9% in September as market demand shifts

The air cargo industry has adapted to trade tensions with shifting market demand, marking the seventh consecutive month of year-over-year traffic growth. September’s air cargo traffic , measured in cargo tonne kilometers (CTK), rose 2.9% YoY, and traffic on international lanes grew 3.2% YoY, according to data released this week by IATA. Capacity, measured in available CTKs, rose 3% YoY and rose 4.4% YoY for international operations. “Buried in that growth is a significant alteration of trade patterns as U.S. tariff policies , including the ending of de minimis exemptions, kick in,” IATA Director General Willie Walsh said in the release. “On one side of the equation, a decline in North America-Asia demand has set in over the last five months,” he said. “But this has been more than compensated for with strong growth within Asia and on routes linking Asia to Europe, Africa and the Middle East.” “While many had feared an unwinding of global trade, we are instead seeing air cargo adapting successfully to serve shifting market demands.” — Willie Walsh, director general of IATA External factors The release highlighted these operating environment factors: Global goods trade grew 7% YoY in August, the latest data available. Air cargo traffic in August grew 4.1% YoY. Global jet fuel prices in September rose 5.4% YoY, ending a fourteen-month streak of YoY declines. The monthly average spot price for U.S. Gulf Coast jet fuel in September was $2.09 per gallon , according to the Energy Information Administration. September’s Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) for global manufacturing output was 51.3, the second consecutive month in which it was above 50. A PMI above 50 indicates growth and one below 50 indicates contraction. The PMI for new export orders remained in negative territory for the sixth month, despite rising 0.9 points to 49.6, “reflecting ongoing caution amid tariff uncertainty ,” IATA said. [caption id="attachment_57292636" align="aligncenter" width="1313"] (Courtesy/IATA)[/caption] Regional performance African carriers saw the strongest YoY traffic growth of any region for the second month in a row. Meanwhile, Latin American carriers saw the largest YoY decline, bumping North America from that weakest traffic position, which it had held for four consecutive months. By region YoY: African carrier traffic grew 14.7% and capacity grew 7.4%; Asia-Pacific carrier traffic grew 6.8% and capacity grew 4.8%; European carrier traffic grew 2.5% and capacity grew 4.4%; Middle Eastern carrier traffic grew 0.6% and capacity grew 5.5%; North American carrier traffic fell 1.2% and capacity fell 1.5%; and Latin American carrier traffic fell 2.2% and capacity grew 3.1%. Trade lane performance Air cargo volumes in September grew across most major trade corridors, with Europe-Asia and intra-Asia seeing double-digit growth. Meanwhile, traffic on the Asia-North America trade lane declined for the fifth consecutive month. By trade lane: Europe-Asia grew 12.4% YoY, the 31st consecutive month of growth; Intra-Asia grew 10% YoY, the 23rd consecutive month of growth; Africa-Asia rose 9.6% YoY, the third consecutive month of growth; Middle East-Asia grew 4.6% YoY, the seventh consecutive month of growth; North America-Europe grew 2.6% YoY, the 20th consecutive month of growth; Asia-North America fell 3.5% YoY, the fifth consecutive month of contraction; and Middle East-Europe fell 4.6% YoY, the second consecutive month of contraction. Cargo Facts LATAM 2026, the essential event for stakeholders in Latin America, will take place Feb. 10-12 at the Marquis Reforma in Mexico City. Learn more and register by Dec. 26 to take advantage of early-bird pricing.

Air cargo traffic grows 2.9% in September as market demand shifts

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