Air Cargo Demand Up 5.5 Pct in July Amid The Trade War, Asia-Pacific Leads Growth – IATA

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 29 (Bernama) -- Total air cargo demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometres (CTK), rose by 5.5 per cent year-on-year (y-o-y) in July 2025 compared to 0.6 per cent in June, reflecting a rebound of the cargo market amid the trade war.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) said international CTK saw a 6.0 per cent y-o-y rise, with most regions and routes posting single-digit gains, while Asia-Pacific led the international air cargo growth with an 11 per cent y-o-y increase.

IATA director general Willie Walsh said most major trade lanes reported growth with one significant exception: Asia–North America, where demand was down 1.0 per cent y-o-y.

“A sharp decline in e-commerce, as the United States (US) de minimis exemptions on small shipments expired, was likely offset by shippers frontloading goods in advance of rising tariffs for imports to the US.

“August will likely reveal more clearly the impact of shifting US trade policies. While much attention is rightly being focused on developments in markets connected to the US, it is important to keep a broad perspective on the global network,” he said in a statement today.

He said a fifth of air cargo travels on the Europe–Asia trade lane, which marked 29 months of consecutive expansion with 13.5 per cent y-o-y growth in July.

According to the IATA, which represents some 350 airlines comprising over 80 per cent of global air traffic, air cargo volumes remained strong in most markets despite the continued disruption or high-risk usage of the airspace in the Middle East and the consecutive contractions presented in the transatlantic corridor.

“Consequently, cargo yields reported a 2.0 per cent y-o-y decrease. However, the strong growth presented in July on other cargo routes allowed the market to achieve a 0.8-percentage point increase compared to the previous month,” it said. 

-- BERNAMA