Air Cargo Growth 2025: Shifts in Trade Lanes and Capacity

Global air cargo demand rose 3.4% in 2025, measured in cargo tonne-kilometers (CTK), while full‑year capacity (ACTK) expanded 3.7%, reflecting a rebalancing of supply and demand across regions and lanes. December alone posted a 4.3% CTK increase versus December 2024, with international operations up 5.5%—a clear indicator of resilient freight flows into year end.

Key 2025 figures at a glance

Important metrics to keep in mind for logistics planning and airport services:

Metric	Change (2025 vs 2024)	Komentář:
CTK (demand)	+3.4%	International demand +4.2%
ACTK (capacity)	+3.7%	International capacity +5.1%
Yields	-1.5%	Still +37.2% vs 2019 baseline
Projected 2026 growth	~2.4%	Moderation toward historical trend

Operating environment and drivers

Trade growth: Global goods trade rose around 4.4% year‑to‑date for 2025 (Jan–Nov), supporting air cargo volumes above 2024 levels.
Fuel trends: Jet fuel averaged ~9.1% lower in 2025 vs 2024, with a December dip of 3.1%, though refiners captured wider margins via crack spreads.
Manufacturing sentiment: PMI improved to ~50.9 in December, but new export orders stayed just below expansion territory, underlining cautious trade activity amid tariff uncertainty.

Regional performance highlights

Performance varied markedly by region, which matters for routing, airport handling demand and last‑mile logistics.

Region	2025 CTK change	Capacity change (ACTK)	Load factor (level)
Asia-Pacific	+8.4%	+7.4%	47.6%
North America	-1.3%	-1.1%	40.2%
Europe	+2.9%	+3.1%	53.4%
Middle East	+0.3%	+4.5%	45.1%
Afrika	+6.0%	+7.8%	42.9%
Latin America & Caribbean	+2.3%	+4.5%	36.0%

Trade lane shifts

Route-level dynamics show a clear movement of cargo flows, with implications for airport scheduling and transfer demand.

Trade Lane	CTK YoY % (2025)	Global Share
Europe – Asia	+10.3%	21.5%
Within Asia	+10.0%	7.4%
Asia – North America	-0.8%	23.4%
Europe – North America	+6.8%	13.5%

What this means for taxis, transfers and airport-side services

Shifts from Asia–North America toward Asia–Europe and within‑Asia lanes affect airport throughput patterns and the demand for ground transport services. Cargo-led peaks raise the need for reliable airport transfers for crew rotations, freight forwarders, and time‑sensitive courier pickups. Drivers and dispatch teams should plan for variable arrival windows and increased demand for vehicles with extra cargo space or higher seat flexibility.

For transfer platforms and private hire services, these trends translate into predictable seasonal peaks at specific hubs, the need for exact scheduling, and opportunities to offer tailored services (e.g., meet-and-greet, express courier runs, and multi‑stop pickups). Platforms that provide full vehicle details and verified provider ratings will be at an advantage when clients want reliable pickup, transparent fares and an experienced driver licensed for airport procedures.

Operational takeaways for logistics planners

Monitor evolving trade lanes and route shares to anticipate airport-level demand shifts.
Factor in moderate yield pressure but sustained volume growth when negotiating freight and ground-handling contracts.
Ensure transfer and courier partners can provide flexible capacity—both passenger and cargo—during tariff-driven front‑loading events.

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In summary, 2025 was a year of solid air cargo volume gains, route rebalancing toward Europe–Asia and intra‑Asia corridors, and a slight easing of yields even as volumes stayed well above pre‑pandemic baselines. For taxi and transfer operators, the uptick in cargo flows at specific hubs points to opportunities for targeted airport services, exact scheduling solutions and competitive pricing models. Platforms that provide transparency—detailed vehicle make and model, driver ratings, exact fares and booking options—help travelers and logistics customers get the right car, at the right time, without guesswork. LocalsRide.com supports this approach by offering global, user-friendly booking of personalized transfers, trips and deliveries with transparent provider details and convenient choices, helping you manage airport pickups, city transfers and time‑sensitive deliveries with confidence.