IATA reports 6% May air cargo growth as Middle East carriers struggle
Global air cargo demand increased by 6.0% year-on-year in May 2026, supported by growing trade volumes and resilient airline operations despite continued disruption in the Middle East, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Total demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometres (CTK), rose 6.0% compared with May 2025, while capacity increased by 1.9%, resulting in higher load factors.
Willie Walsh, IATA’s director general, said: “Air cargo demand grew 6% year-on-year in May, with Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, and North American regions all reporting above trend growth. Carriers in the Middle East, however, reported a combined contraction of 8.9% year-on-year as war-related impacts continued.
“May’s strong performance coupled with macro-economic factors give cautious optimism for air cargo’s prospects over the remainder of the year. Trade and manufacturing output are both growing.
“Airlines have adapted operations to align with shifting demand patterns and supply chain needs. Meanwhile, yield growth and higher load factors are helping to recoup higher fuel costs. It’s still a tough year, particularly as Middle East uncertainties weigh heavily on parts of the industry, but robust demand and airline resilience are clear.”
Global trade continued its positive trajectory, increasing 5.0% year-on-year and extending 25 consecutive months of annual growth. Manufacturing output also remained supportive, although export orders weakened, indicating that cargo growth was driven by selected trade lanes rather than a broad-based recovery.
Regional performance was led by Africa, where demand rose 13.3%, followed by North America at 10.5%, Asia-Pacific at 8.0% and Europe at 6.7%. Latin America and the Caribbean recorded 1.9% growth.
In contrast, Middle Eastern carriers reported an 8.9% decline in cargo demand, the weakest performance of any region, as conflict in the region continued to disrupt operations.
Among trade lanes, IATA reported that Asia-North America recorded the strongest growth, followed by Africa-Asia, intra-Europe and Europe-Asia routes, while Gulf-linked corridors remained heavily affected by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.