Uzbekistan Leads Central Asian Air Cargo Growth, IATA Reports

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Uzbekistan recorded the highest growth in air cargo traffic among Central Asian countries between 2019 and 2024, with volumes increasing by 182%, according to an analytical report by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

During the same period, total air cargo traffic across the entire region more than doubled. In comparison, Hong Kong, the world's largest air cargo hub, remained at roughly the same level, while volumes at Frankfurt, Europe's main cargo hub, decreased by approximately 5%.

In absolute terms, Kazakhstan maintains the lead in the region, with its total volume of inbound, outbound, and direct transit cargo increasing by 149% relative to 2019 levels. Uzbekistan surpassed Kyrgyzstan with its 182% growth. IATA attributes this result to infrastructure investments.

Direct transit remains the primary driver of growth. This involves cargo passing through regional airports without customs clearance, following a model similar to historical technical stops in Anchorage. The share of this traffic grew from 59% to approximately 65% of the total cargo volume in the region.

International inbound and outbound cargo flows also increased, though the inbound flow continues to significantly exceed outbound traffic. At the same time, a sharp increase in outbound volumes in 2024 indicates that the region is moving beyond simple technical stops and is assuming the role of an active consolidation hub on routes between Europe and China, according to IATA.

Against the background of airspace restrictions in several countries, carriers are restructuring their route networks, and Central Asia is directly benefiting. The region's share compared to Hong Kong increased over the five years from approximately one-tenth to nearly one-fifth, and relative to Frankfurt from less than one-fifth to more than two-fifths.

IATA noted that direct transit provides a limited economic effect for the local economy. However, sustained growth in inbound, outbound, and connecting flows over time strengthens airport ecosystems and regional logistics capacity.