News

According to data for September 2026 released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) global air freight demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometers (CTK), increased by 7.7% compared to September 2025 (+8.6% for international operations).

Capacity, measured in available cargo tonne-kilometers (ACTK), increased by 2.7% compared to September 2025 (+3.3% for international operations).

“Stronger global trade and manufacturing provided a supportive backdrop, while AI-related shipments helped drive another month of double-digit growth across the Pacific. The challenge is cost. Jet fuel prices have more than doubled compared with a year ago, and yields have not kept pace. There is no shortage of goods to ship, but doing that profitably in the face of persistently high fuel prices has become more challenging,” said Marie Owens Thomsen, IATA’s Senior Vice President Sustainability and Chief Economist.

North American carriers saw an 11.8% year-on-year increase in air cargo demand in September, the strongest performance of all regions. Capacity increased by 0.8% year-on-year.

Asia-Pacific airlines saw an 8.6% year-on-year growth in air cargo demand in September. Capacity increased by 4.9% year-on-year.

European carriers saw a 4.5% year-on-year increase in demand for air cargo in September. Capacity decreased by 1.6% year-on-year.