International Air Transport Association (IATA) reported continued growth in global air cargo demand in April 2026, despite increasing geopolitical tensions and ongoing disruption across key international trade corridors.
According to the latest market data, total air cargo demand rose by 4.0% year-on-year in April. International operations also recorded a 4.0% growth compared with the same period last year. At the same time, available cargo capacity declined slightly by 0.4%, while international capacity fell by 0.9%.
IATA states, the growth was largely driven by strong trade flows linked to Asia, although the operating environment remained increasingly complex due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and its impact on major Gulf cargo hubs.
“Air cargo demand grew 4% year-on-year in April, driven by strong Asia-linked trade flows,” said Willie Walsh, Director General of IATA. “But this positive news masks a more complex operating environment.”
Regional performance varied considerably. Asia-Pacific carriers recorded the strongest growth globally, with demand increasing by 10.5% year-on-year, followed by Africa at 7.7% and Europe at 6.0%. North American airlines posted 5.0% growth.
In contrast, Middle Eastern carriers reported the weakest performance, with cargo demand falling by 18.2% as regional instability continued to disrupt operations and trade routes. Latin American and Caribbean carriers also recorded a decline of 2.8%.
IATA additionally pointed to rising operational costs as another challenge for the sector. Jet fuel prices increased sharply in April, rising by more than 121% year-on-year, while crude oil prices climbed nearly 78%.
Despite these pressures, manufacturing activity and export demand remained in growth territory during April, with global Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) indicators continuing to support air cargo demand.
Among global trade lanes, Africa-Asia recorded the strongest growth during the month, followed by Asia-Europe and intra-Asia markets, while Gulf-related corridors remained heavily affected by the conflict in the Middle East.
