IATA: Air cargo demand continues to grow in April

Air cargo demand maintained its growth momentum in April, supported by favorable factors such as seasonal demand and lower fuel prices. However, IATA warned that the industry must remain prepared to respond to fluctuations in global trade.

According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), seasonal demand, businesses front-loading shipments to avoid tariffs, and declining fuel prices contributed to a renewed increase in air cargo demand in April. However, airlines must remain prepared for fluctuations in global trade.

The association reported that total demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometers (CTK), increased by 5.8% year-on-year. Demand also rose by 2.3% compared to the previous month. In March, demand had grown by 4.4% compared to the same period in 2024, partly driven by front-loading activities.

In its April Air Cargo Market Analysis report, IATA stated: "Fashion and consumer goods typically experience peak shipping activity from April to June in preparation for the summer shopping season, which helped support the growth figures. In addition, businesses front-loading shipments ahead of changes to US tariff policies taking effect on May 2, 2025, particularly the removal of the de minimis exemption, also played a significant role."

Available cargo capacity, measured in available cargo tonne-kilometers (ACTK), increased by 6.3%.

The cargo load factor (CLF), calculated by dividing CTK by ACTK, reached 43.9%, down 0.2 percentage points compared to April 2024.

"This slight decline indicates that capacity growth outpaced demand growth, consistent with broader market trends in air cargo capacity utilization," IATA noted.

Commenting on the industry's performance in April, IATA Director General Willie Walsh said: "Air cargo demand grew strongly in April, with volumes increasing by 5.8% year-on-year, continuing the solid growth momentum recorded in March."

"Seasonal demand for fashion and consumer goods, combined with businesses front-loading shipments ahead of changes to US tariff policies and declining jet fuel prices, collectively supported the air cargo industry. With available capacity at record levels and yields improving, the outlook for air cargo is very encouraging."

"Although April delivered positive signals, tensions in global trade are no secret. Changes in trade policies, particularly in the United States, are reshaping demand and export dynamics. Airlines will need to remain flexible as the situation evolves in the coming months."

Despite ongoing trade tensions, IATA reported that air cargo growth outpaced the growth of global goods trade, which increased by 6.5% month-on-month.

The global manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) rose to 50.5 in April, marking the fourth consecutive month of expansion. However, the PMI for new export orders fell by 2.8 points to 47.2, remaining below the 50-point threshold that indicates expansion.

Additionally, jet fuel prices declined by 21.2% year-on-year and 4.1% month-on-month, marking the third consecutive monthly decrease.

Regionally, airlines in Asia-Pacific and Latin America led year-on-year demand growth in April, while Middle Eastern carriers recorded slower growth.

Latin American airlines reported a 10.1% increase in cargo traffic, while Asia-Pacific airlines recorded growth of 10%.

African airlines saw a 4.7% increase, while North American carriers recorded growth of 4.2%. Meanwhile, European airlines posted growth of 2.9%, and Middle Eastern carriers recorded an increase of 2.3%.

Regarding growth across trade lanes, IATA noted that all international routes recorded growth in April, except for the Middle East–Europe, Africa–Asia, and intra-European routes.