Global demand for air cargo grew 3.9% year-on-year in July 2026 , the International Air Transport Association (IATA) reported .
“All regions saw growth, although airlines in Asia-Pacific, Europe, and North America accounted for more than 90% of that growth. Cargo aircraft gained market share as cargo flows in passenger aircraft holds decreased, possibly due to demand for larger or more specialized shipments, as well as the operational flexibility offered by cargo aircraft,” noted Marie Owens Thomsen, IATA’s Senior Vice President for Sustainability and Chief Economist.
The agency also stated that capacity —measured in available cargo tonnes per kilometer (ACTK)— increased 1.7% year-on-year, and rose 1.8% over the period for international operations.
North American airlines saw a 4.8% year-over-year increase in CTKs (cargo tonnes transported) during the month. Capacity contracted 1.5% year-over-year.
Meanwhile, African airlines reported a 1.1% year-on-year increase in CTKs for July 2026, the weakest performance compared to other regions. Capacity increased by 4.1% year-on-year .
The Asia-North America corridor recorded the best performance with year-on-year growth of 9.2% , followed by the Europe-Asia and Europe-North America routes, with 3.1% and 2.1% growth, respectively. In contrast, Gulf-related corridors continued to face restrictions due to the conflict in the Middle East.
“The outlook remains generally positive, supported by manufacturing activity, export orders, and global trade . However, rising fuel prices, geopolitical tensions, and tariff uncertainty will need to be closely monitored,” said Owens Thomsen.
According to IATA, global jet fuel prices increased by 121% year-on-year between April 2025 and April 2026, but the impact on each company’s costs varied markedly depending on its currency and regional market.
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