IATA: Air Cargo Demand Rose 6% in May

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reported a 6.0% increase in global air cargo demand in May 2026 compared to the same period last year. On international routes, demand grew by 6.5%. Global capacity increased by 1.9%, while international capacity rose by 2.8%.

IATA Director General Willie Walsh noted that air cargo demand grew by 6% in annual terms, with leading growth demonstrated by Africa, the Asia-Pacific region, Europe, and North America. In contrast, Middle Eastern airlines recorded an aggregate decline of 8.9% amid the ongoing consequences of military actions.

According to Walsh, the strong May performance combined with macroeconomic factors provides grounds for cautious optimism regarding the prospects of the air cargo industry until the end of the year. He pointed to growth in trade volumes and industrial production, as well as the fact that airlines have adapted operational activities to changing demand and supply chain needs. Walsh added that growth in yields and an improvement in the load factor help compensate for increased fuel costs, though uncertainty in the Middle East continues to exert serious pressure on part of the industry.

The report notes that global trade grew by 5.0% in annual terms, continuing continuous growth for 25 consecutive months. Jet fuel prices decreased by 16.3% compared to April, but remained 93.5% above the level of last year. Global manufacturing activity maintained a supportive dynamic in May: the manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) rose to 53.5 points, while the new export orders index remained below the 50-point mark at 49.6. According to IATA, this indicates that the growth in air cargo transport was driven by individual trade flows rather than a broad increase in global exports.

By region, the largest growth in cargo demand was recorded in Africa at 13.3%, which became the best indicator among all regions. North American airlines increased demand by 10.5%, Asia-Pacific airlines by 8.0%, European airlines by 6.7%, and Latin American and Caribbean airlines by 1.9%. The Middle East remained the only region with declining indicators, where demand fell by 8.9% and capacity contracted by 9.2%.

Among trade routes, the Asia–North America route showed the highest growth rate, gaining 19.9% and demonstrating growth for the fourth consecutive month. The Africa–Asia route grew by 14.1%, continuing an 11-month series of growth, while the Europe–Asia route increased by 10.0%, maintaining positive dynamics for 39 consecutive months. At the same time, routes connected with Gulf countries remain under serious pressure: cargo traffic on the Europe–Middle East route contracted by 19.8%, and the Middle East–Asia route dropped by 16.5%.