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The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released current data on the global air freight market for January 2026. According to the report, total demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometers (CTK), increased by 5.6% compared to January 2025. Capacity, measured in available cargo tonne-kilometers (ACTK), rose by 3.6% year-on-year.
Regional Differences in Demand
Demand for air freight showed regional differences in January 2026. While airlines in Africa, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, and Europe experienced faster growth than the global average, carriers in the Americas reported overall declines. Willie Walsh, Director General of IATA, stated: “The demand for air freight had a robust start to 2026. The resilience of the air freight market will be tested in the coming months, particularly due to uncertainties regarding the evolving trade policies of the U.S. and the current conflicts in the Middle East.”
Economic Conditions
Several factors influencing the operating environment are also noteworthy. Global merchandise trade grew by 4.9% in December 2025 compared to the previous year. Jet fuel prices fell by 6.5% year-on-year in January. Additionally, global manufacturing sentiment improved in January, with the global Purchasing Managers‘ Index (PMI) rising above the expansion threshold of 50 points to 51.8, marking the highest level in over a year and a half. The PMI for new export orders increased to 49.9, which, although below the growth threshold, represents the highest value in the last ten months.
Regional Performance Overview
Air freight companies in the Asia-Pacific region recorded a year-on-year growth of 7.8% in January 2026. In North America, however, there was a decline in demand of 0.5%, making the region the only one with a decrease in capacity. European airlines reported a 6.9% increase in demand, while capacity rose by 4.9%. In the Middle East, demand increased by 9.3%, representing the strongest growth of all regions. African airlines recorded the highest growth at 18.2%, while demand in Latin America and the Caribbean decreased by 2.0%.
Air freight volumes increased in January 2026 on most major trade routes, with the exception of the Asia-North America route, which saw a decline of 0.6%. The Africa-Asia trade route grew by 41.6%, while the Europe-Asia route increased by 15.2%.
