Global air cargo demand rose 0.8% year-on-year in June 2025 despite trade disruptions, with Asia-Pacific leading growth at 9.0% while North America fell 8.3%, according to International Air Transport Association (IATA) data. Capacity increased 1.7%, driven by international operations.
Middle Eastern cargo traffic declined 3.2% due to regional military conflicts, while Europe stagnated at 0.8% growth. Africa and Latin America posted modest gains of 3.9% and 3.5% respectively. Key trade lanes showed stark contrasts: Europe-Asia volumes surged 10.6% for a 28th consecutive monthly increase, whereas Asia-North America routes fell 4.8% for the seventh straight month.
IATA Director General Willie Walsh linked the slowdown to trade tensions and U.S. tariff hikes, noting: “Stability and predictability are essential supports for trade.” He urged governments to accelerate digital trade facilitation. The data coincided with a global manufacturing rebound (June PMI: 51.2), though new export orders remained contractionary at 49.3.
