7 May
Global air freight demand reached a historic peak in March 2025, with a 4.4% year-over-year (YoY) increase, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). International operations saw even stronger growth at 5.5%. Available cargo tonne-kilometers (ACTK) rose 4.3% globally and 6.1% for international flights. This surge reflects a return to pre-pandemic growth patterns, following February’s typical seasonal slowdown.
IATA highlighted key economic shifts influencing the market, including a sharp 17.3% YoY decline in jet fuel prices—the ninth monthly drop in a row. “This continued fuel price reduction supported air cargo competitiveness,” said an IATA spokesperson. Meanwhile, upcoming tariff hikes and the May 2 ban on duty-free Chinese and Hong Kong imports likely encouraged companies to ship early. Global industrial output rose 3.2% YoY, while trade volumes grew by 2.9%, indicating healthy underlying demand.
Regionally, Asia-Pacific carriers led the charge with a 9.6% increase in air cargo demand and an 11.3% rise in capacity. The Europe–North America corridor became the world’s busiest, fueled by strong transatlantic demand. The Asia–North America route retained the largest share of global air freight, driven by pre-tariff stockpiling. Only the Europe–Middle East and Africa–Asia trade lanes saw minor declines, underlining the global market’s overall resilience.
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source: maritimegateway.com
