AIR CARGO GROWS 5.6% IN JANUARY
On 2 March, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) released its latest air cargo market data for January 2026, showing continued growth in global demand.
Total demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometres (CTK), increased by 5.6% compared to January 2025, while international operations recorded a stronger rise of 7.2%. Capacity, measured in available cargo tonne-kilometres (ACTK), also expanded by 3.6% year-on-year, with international capacity increasing by 5.7%.
European carriers recorded a 6.9% year-on-year increase in demand in January, while capacity rose by 4.9% over the same period. Several key trade lanes linking Europe also saw sustained growth. Demand on the Europe–Asia corridor increased by 15.2%, marking the 35th consecutive month of expansion and representing 21.5% of the global market share. Traffic between Europe and the Middle East grew by 10.2%, while the Europe–North America route recorded a 3.8% increase, continuing a growth streak of 24 consecutive months.
Willie Wash, IATA’s Director General, indicated the operating environment for air cargo remains uncertain despite the positive demand trends. Evolving US trade policies and renewed hostilities in the Middle East are expected to continue placing pressure on global supply chains in the coming months.
Source: IATA