Global air cargo demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometres (CTK), rose 4 per cent year-on-year in April 2026, supported by resilient Asian trade flows and tightening capacity across parts of the global network. International cargo traffic also expanded 4 per cent year-on-year, according to IATA in its latest cargo market analysis.
“Air cargo demand grew 4% year-on-year in April, driven by strong Asia-linked trade flows. But this positive news masks a more complex operating environment,” Willie Walsh, IATA’s director general, said. He added that severe disruption at major Gulf hubs due to the Middle East conflict continued to reshape trade routes and constrain capacity on key corridors.
Willie Walsh will take over as the CEO of IndiGo Airlines no later than August 3, 2026. He is officially stepping down from his role as the Director General of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) on July 31, 2026, before assuming his duties at the Indian carrier.
Asia drives cargo growth
IATA said Asia Pacific carriers remained the principal engine of global cargo expansion, accounting for more than half of incremental industry volumes during the month. Asia Pacific airlines expanded cargo traffic by 10.5 per cent year-on-year, while international traffic for the region rose 11.3 per cent. Additionally, strong intra-Asian activity and resilient trans-Pacific trade flows supported regional momentum. European and North American airlines also posted gains due to improving international flows and stronger corridor activity with Asia. African carriers benefited from buoyant Asia-linked trade networks.
By contrast, Middle East carriers faced severe operational strain, with total and international cargo volumes declining 18.2 per cent year-on-year due to restricted airspace and operational disruption across Gulf routes.
Asia-linked corridors outperform
According to IATA, international cargo growth remained concentrated around Asia-linked trade lanes as global supply chains adjusted toward alternative routes amid continued Middle East disruption.
The Europe-Asia corridor expanded 16.2 per cent year-on-year, while Asia-North America volumes recorded a sixth consecutive month of growth. Within Asia, cargo traffic also registered its first double-digit increase in several months.
Meanwhile, trade corridors directly exposed to Middle East disruption remained weak. Europe-Middle East traffic contracted 25.9 per cent year-on-year, while Middle East-Asia volumes fell 22.4 per cent.
Capacity tightens, fuel costs surge
Global air cargo capacity, measured in available cargo tonne-kilometres (ACTK), declined 0.4 per cent year-on-year in April despite rising demand, while international capacity fell 0.9 per cent.
IATA said capacity additions across Asia Pacific, Europe and North America were outweighed by sharp cuts from Middle Eastern carriers. Asia Pacific airlines added around 0.9 billion ACTK during the month, while Middle East carriers slashed nearly 1.5 billion ACTK due to operational disruptions.
The tightening supply environment pushed industry-wide cargo load factors up by 1.9 percentage points to 46 per cent. Europe posted the highest cargo load factor at 53.4 per cent.
Fuel costs also added pressure on airline operations. Jet fuel prices surged 121.1 per cent year-on-year in April, while crude oil prices rose 77.7 per cent amid geopolitical tensions around the Strait of Hormuz.
Higher fuel costs and tighter effective capacity pushed dollar-denominated air cargo yields up 32.2 per cent year-on-year during the month according to the report.