News
Air cargo traffic grows by 6% in May
June 30th 2026
Air cargo demand, measured by cargo tonne-kilometres (CTK), rose 6% in May compared with a year ago as above trend growth in Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe and North America offset contractions in the Middle East amid ongoing conflict in the Gulf region. Read More » Air cargo capacity was 1.9% higher in the month, figures from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) show. "May’s strong performance coupled with macro-economic factors give cautious optimism for air cargo’s prospects over the remainder of the year," IATA director general, Willie Walsh, said. "It’s still a tough year, particularly as Middle East uncertainties weigh heavily on parts of the industry, but robust demand and airline resilience are clear." The airline lobby group’s monthly cargo report said the Asia-Pacific had the third highest growth rate for cargo demand, with CTKs rising 8% in the 31 days behind Africa at 13.3% and North America at 10.5%.
