Global air cargo and passenger demand show growth in July 2026, IATA reports

Airlines in Asia-Pacific, Europe, and North America contributed over 90 percent of the overall growth in air cargo. Capacity for air cargo rose by 1.7 percent, with international operations seeing stronger growth. Marie Thomsen, IATA’s Senior Vice President, Sustainability and Chief Economist, noted that the outlook for air cargo remains positive, supported by manufacturing activity, export orders, and global trade, despite rising fuel costs and geopolitical uncertainties.

Global trade increased by 7.5 percent, and export orders reached a three-month high. Regionally, North American carriers saw the strongest air cargo growth at 4.8 percent, followed by European airlines at 4.4 percent, and Asia-Pacific airlines at 4.1 percent. African airlines recorded the weakest regional performance with a 1.1 percent increase in cargo demand, though their capacity grew by 4.1 percent.

Trade lanes like Asia-North America, Europe-Asia, and Europe-North America showed strong growth, while Gulf-linked corridors faced disruptions. For passenger demand, the 0.2 percent global increase occurred despite declines in North America and the Middle East. Total capacity rose by 0.3 percent, with the global passenger load factor at 85.2 percent.

International passenger demand fell by 0.1 percent, but excluding Middle Eastern carrie