Geneva — The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has reported a 5.5% increase in global air cargo demand in July 2025 compared with the same period last year, with international operations rising 6.0%. Capacity also grew by 3.9% year-on-year, and by 4.5% for international services.
Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General, said:
“Air cargo demand grew 5.5% in July, a strong result. Most major trade lanes reported growth, with one significant exception: Asia–North America, where demand was down 1.0% year-on-year. A sharp decline in e-commerce, as the US de minimis exemptions on small shipments expired, was likely offset by shippers frontloading goods in advance of rising tariffs for imports to the US. August will likely reveal more clearly the impact of shifting US trade policies. While much attention is rightly being focused on developments in markets connected to the US, it is important to keep a broad perspective on the global network. A fifth of air cargo travels on the Europe–Asia trade lane, which marked 29 months of consecutive expansion with 13.5% year-on-year growth in July.”
Several operating conditions shaped the July results. The global goods trade expanded by 3.1% year-on-year in June, while jet fuel prices in July were 9.1% lower than the same month in 2024, easing airline costs despite a 4.3% rise from June. However, global manufacturing contracted with the PMI slipping to 49.66, its second dip below the 50 growth threshold since January. Export orders also remained weak at 48.2, reflecting declining confidence amid uncertainty over US trade policy.
SOURCE AND IMAGE: IATA
