Air cargo demand up in April despite geopolitical pressure: IATA

Global air cargo demand rose four per cent year-over-year in April, even as geopolitical disruption and rising costs weighed on capacity and trade flows, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Total demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometres (CTK), increased four per cent compared with April 2025 levels, while international demand also rose four per cent. Capacity, measured in available cargo tonne-kilometres (ACTK), slipped 0.4 per cent year-over-year, including a 0.9 per cent decline in international operations.

“Air cargo demand grew four per cent year-on-year in April, driven by strong Asia-linked trade flows,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s director general. “But this positive news masks a more complex operating environment. Severe disruption at major Gulf hubs due to the war in the Middle East continued to reshape trade routes and constrain capacity on key corridors. With dedicated freighters carrying much of the growth, air cargo is once again keeping supply chains moving amid trade disruptions. The coming months will test how well the sector can absorb continued geopolitical uncertainty and elevated operating costs.”

The association pointed to several headwinds, including a 2.1 per cent month-over-month contraction in global trade in March following four months of growth, as well as sharply higher energy costs. Jet fuel prices rose 121.1 per cent year-over-year in April, while crude oil prices climbed 77.7 per cent.

Despite those pressures, manufacturing indicators remained in expansion territory. The Purchasing Managers’ Index rose 1.9 points to 53.4, while new export orders reached 50.2, both above the 50-point threshold that signals growth.

Regional performance varied widely. Asia-Pacific carriers posted the strongest demand growth at 10.5 per cent year-over-year, followed by Europe at six per cent, North America at five per cent and Africa at 7.7 per cent. Latin America and the Caribbean saw a 2.8 per cent decline, while Middle Eastern carriers recorded an 18.2 per cent drop, the weakest performance among all regions.

Capacity changes also diverged, with Middle Eastern carriers down 22.9 per cent and African airlines down 9.4 per cent. Other regions saw modest increases or smaller declines.

IATA said trade lanes were uneven in April, with Africa-Asia and Asia-Europe routes leading growth, while Gulf-linked corridors were heavily disrupted by conflict in the Middle East.