air-cargo

Air Cargo Demand Surges 6% in May, Transpacific Route Leads Recovery

Global air cargo volumes climbed 6% year-on-year in May, driven by robust transpacific demand, according to IATA data. Year-to-date cargo volumes are up 4%. The Asia-North America route, the world's largest air cargo lane, posted a 23% surge, while Asia-Europe improved 10%. High-value shipments including data centre equipment and computer chips fueled the gains. U.S. e-commerce demand rebounded following the elimination of duty-free allowances for small packages in 2025. Capacity growth lagged at 1.9%, lifting the load factor 1.8 percentage points to 46%. Regional production networks supported continued intra-Asian growth. Headwinds persist on Middle East routes, with Middle East-Asia volumes dropping 16.5% and Middle East-Europe declining 19.8% due to regional conflict. Industry officials project cautious optimism for remaining 2026, citing expanding trade and manufacturing output.