Port of Tarragona receives PERS certification
Jul 6, 2026 at 7:07 AM
RFS: Air freight industry in Germany demands solutions
Jul 6, 2026 at 8:08 AM
The global air freight figures increased by 9% in June 2026 compared to the previous year, while spot prices slightly declined. This is evident from the latest data from WorldACD Market Data. Despite a 2% decrease in the last full week of June compared to the previous week, the overall volume for the second quarter remains 6% higher than the previous year.
Growth of air freight markets
The increase in air freight tonnage in June was supported by most major origin regions. The Middle East & South Asia region recorded an 11% increase, partly due to the celebration of Eid al-Adha in May this year. The Asia-Pacific and North America regions also contributed positively with increases of 10% and 9%, respectively. Europe and Central and South America also saw growth of 7% each. In contrast, growth in Africa was rather moderate at only 1%.
Price development in the air freight sector
Air freight prices remained high in June, despite the return of capacities to the Middle Eastern markets. Average market prices in June were 33% above last year’s level. The average spot prices were $3.71/kg and remained stable compared to the previous month. Year-on-year, the increase decreased from 49% in May to 43% in June. The increases were primarily driven by the Middle East & Africa and Asia-Pacific regions.
The relative stability of the situation between the USA and Iran has led to a decrease in jet fuel prices, which fell by 2% to below $117 per barrel in the week ending June 26. This could lead to a further reduction in air freight prices in the coming weeks, as various airlines have announced plans to reduce their fuel surcharges starting July 1.
Capacity development and market reactions
The stability of air freight capacities in recent weeks has been supported by the relative calm in the US-Iran situation. Comparing the last two weeks with the two weeks prior, global air freight capacity increased by 3%, with the Middle East & South Asia region recording the largest increase at 5%. This results in a year-on-year capacity increase of 3%.
In contrast to previous years, there were few signs of a pre-shift in air freight before the change in EU de minimis rules on July 1. Air freight volumes from China and Hong Kong to Europe fell by 8% and 9%, respectively, in the last week of June. This may indicate that the industry has learned from last year’s experiences when US de minimis exemptions were lifted.
Average spot prices for air freight from Asia-Pacific to Europe slightly decreased by 2% to $5.26/kg but remain 38% higher year-on-year.
