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Asia-linked trade flows fueled 4% air cargo demand growth in April amid Middle East disruption, says IATA
May 29th 2026
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for April 2026 global air cargo markets, showing that Asia-Pacific airlines saw a 10.5% year-on-year growth in international air cargo demand (CTK), the strongest rise of all regions. Read More » Capacity (ACTK) increased by 5.3% year-on-year. These numbers were the strongest among all the regions. Globally, total demand increased by 4.0% compared to April 2025 levels (+4.0% for international operations). Capacity decreased by -0.4% compared to April 2025 (-0.9% for international operations). “Air cargo demand grew 4% year-on-year in April, driven by strong Asia-linked trade flows. 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,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.
