Another rise in air cargo market demand in February 2026, up +6% year-on-year, continued the encouraging spike in volume seen over the previous two months, and signalled underlying market resilience, despite the level of global trade and economic turbulence experienced over the past year. But, five days into March, and with conflict now escalating in the Middle East, the market outlook is, once again, open to question, say industry analysts Xeneta. Global air cargo update Demand growth last … [Read more...] about Xeneta: Middle East conflict is the latest macro-event testing the global logistics market

An earlier Lunar New Year flattered global air cargo demand in January as the year commenced with unexpected vigour with a +7% year-on-year boost in demand and an easing of recent freight rate declines, but any early market optimism for 2026 was dampened by the first year-on-year fall in e-commerce exports from China since January 2022, according to industry analysts Xeneta. The growth in global chargeable weight in the opening month of 2026 was the strongest increase since January 2025, and … [Read more...] about Xeneta: Early Lunar New Year flatters to deceive as global air cargo volumes rise +7% in January, but China’s e-commerce exports down for the first time since 2022

Global air cargo demand finished a tumultuous 2025 on a high, with volumes up +6% year-on-year in December, but flatlining e-commerce shipments ex-China will create concern for airlines and forwarders reliant on consumers’ online buying sprees, say industry analysts Xeneta. Better-than-expected volumes over the last quarter of the year helped air cargo demand record +4% growth in chargeable weight year-on-year for 2025, reflecting many shippers’ willingness to shift away from other modes to the … [Read more...] about Xeneta: Air cargo ends a tumultuous 2025 with +6% volume growth in December, but less buoyant e-commerce signals cloud the horizon

Christmas came early for global air cargo volumes in November with a further +5% year-on-year boost in demand adding to the seasonal cheer, but the industry’s e-commerce ‘growth engine’ of the past two years is slowing down, according to the latest market analysis from Xeneta. While the demand outlook for the traditionally busiest time of year looked flat heading into the last four months of 2025, September and October’s demand levels were surprisingly robust at +3% and +4% year-on-year, … [Read more...] about Xeneta: Volumes up +5% in November, but air cargo’s e-commerce ‘growth engine’ is slowing down

Global air cargo volume growth slowed in October but still recorded a stronger than expected +4% rise year-on-year, despite the easing of frontloading of imports by businesses countering the cost of tariffs and effects of the US de minimis ban, according to industry analysts Xeneta. The latest monthly data supports Xeneta’s forecast in September of an overall +3-4% growth in demand for 2025, but more worrying trends indicate challenging times ahead for airlines and freight forwarders as the … [Read more...] about Xeneta: October air cargo volumes surprise with +4% growth, but is Europe-North America slump a ‘bellwether for global trade’?

The global air cargo market is on course for +3-4% growth in demand in 2025 based on current trading conditions, but after unexpectedly high volumes over the summer, September’s data showed signs of growth slowing heading into the final quarter of the year, according to industry analysts Xeneta.  At what would traditionally be seen as the commencement of the peak season for air cargo volumes, demand growth slowed to +3% year-on-year – on a par with growth in capacity - in September following … [Read more...] about Xeneta: Air cargo demand slows into Q4, but 2025 set for 3–4% growth despite trade turbulence