Global air cargo demand rises slightly in June 2025 amid regional divergences

According to IATA, global air cargo demand in June 2025 grew 0.8% year-on-year, with international demand up 1.6%, despite ongoing trade disruptions. Capacity increased by 1.7%, leading to a slight dip in the overall cargo load factor to 45.5%.

Key Regional Trends

• Asia-Pacific led growth with a 9.0% demand increase.
• North America saw the sharpest decline at -8.3%, hit by trade tensions.
• Europe stagnated at 0.8%, while Middle East traffic dropped 3.2% due to regional conflicts.
• Africa and Latin America posted moderate gains of 3.9% and 3.5%, respectively.

Trade Lane Highlights

• Europe–Asia (+10.6%) and Within Asia (+8.7%) showed robust growth.
• Asia–North America (-4.8%) and Middle East–Europe (-4.5%) continued to decline.

Outlook

IATA warned that while some clarity on U.S. trade tariffs has emerged, higher duties are still likely to dampen global trade. It urged governments to focus on simplifying and digitalising trade to reduce costs and improve efficiency.