Worldwide air cargo rates increased 5% year on year in the latest reporting period, with Africa leading regional growth at 12%, according to market data published on 13 November 2025.
The Air Cargo Market Trends report, based on more than 500,000 transactions per week, shows global rates reached $2.61 per kilogram during the week of 3 to 9 November 2025. This compares to $2.70 during the same period in 2024, but represents steady growth from $2.42 recorded five weeks earlier in the current year.
Africa demonstrated the strongest year on year rate performance among all regions, with a 12% increase. The continent also showed stable short term trends, remaining flat in the last five weeks and posting no change in the two week comparison. This performance positions Africa as a bright spot in the global air cargo market.
The Middle East and South Asia region recorded the second highest year on year growth at 11%, though it experienced a 19% decline in chargeable weight over the same period. Central and South America followed with 10% rate growth year on year, while capacity in that region increased 6% compared to the previous year.
Asia Pacific showed 6% rate growth year on year, with chargeable weight up 4% in the last five weeks despite a 6% decline in the most recent two week period. Europe posted 4% year on year rate gains, though the region saw a 5% decline in rates over the last five weeks and a 2% capacity reduction year on year.
North America was the only major region showing negative year on year rate performance, declining 1%. The region also experienced a 3% rate decrease over the last five weeks and a 1% decline in the two week comparison period. Capacity in North America remained relatively flat with just a 1% year on year decrease.
Global chargeable weight increased 4% over the last five weeks but declined 4% in the two week comparison, suggesting recent softening in demand. Worldwide capacity decreased 1% over the last five weeks and 3% in the two week comparison, indicating tighter supply conditions that support rate growth.
The data reveals significant regional variations in capacity and demand dynamics. Africa saw chargeable weight increase 2% over the last five weeks with 1% growth in the two week period, while capacity declined 6% over five weeks and 3% in the shorter timeframe. This supply demand imbalance helps explain the region’s strong rate performance.
Asia Pacific capacity remained flat year on year with a slight increase of 10% in recent periods, while Europe and North America both experienced modest capacity contractions. Central and South America added 6% capacity year on year, the highest among major regions.
Route specific trends show varied performance across origin destination pairs. North America to Asia Pacific routes saw rates decline 4% while North America to Europe dropped 6%. Africa to Europe routes gained 5%, and Middle East and South Asia to Europe increased 11%.
The steady upward trajectory in global rates over the past five weeks, from $2.42 to $2.61 per kilogram, reflects tightening market conditions as peak shipping season approaches. However, the rate remains below the $2.70 recorded in the comparable period last year, suggesting the market has not fully recovered to 2024 levels despite recent improvements.
For African exporters and importers, the 12% year on year rate increase presents both challenges and opportunities. Higher costs affect profit margins for businesses shipping perishable goods, flowers, vegetables, and manufactured products to international markets. However, strong rate growth also signals robust demand for African cargo, reflecting the continent’s increasing integration into global supply chains.
The air cargo market plays a crucial role in African trade, particularly for time sensitive goods that cannot travel by sea. Countries like Kenya, Ethiopia, South Africa, and Ghana depend heavily on air freight for agricultural exports, pharmaceuticals, and high value manufactured goods reaching distant markets.
Capacity constraints in Africa, evidenced by the 6% decline over five weeks, limit the region’s ability to fully capitalize on demand. Airlines serving African routes face challenges including infrastructure limitations, regulatory complexities, and economic viability on thinner routes. Additional freighter capacity could help moderate rate increases while supporting export growth.
The data comes from WorldACD, which tracks air cargo transactions globally. Companies subscribing to detailed market data receive weekly information for hundreds of markets at different origin and destination levels, enabling more granular analysis of specific trade lanes and market segments.
