IATA: Cargo volumes to rise 2.4% in 2026

Encouraging news for the U-Freight Group, with our strong presence in the expedited international airfreight sector, was IATA’s recent prediction that air cargo volumes in 2026 are expected to increase 2.4% year on year.

The trade body said air cargo volumes are expected to reach 71.6 million tonnes in 2026, noting that the “resilience in air cargo has been particularly impressive” within the context of the challenges the market has faced.

Cargo revenue is forecast to reach USD158 billion in 2026, up 2.1% on USD155 billion this year. Revenue will be particularly driven by time-sensitive shipments and e-commerce volumes.

Despite positive predictions for volumes and revenue, cargo yields are expected to be down -0.5% on 2025, although this is within the context of a slowdown in global trade and yields will still be approximately 30% above pre-pandemic levels, pointed out IATA.

Willie Walsh, IATA’s director general, said: “The resilience in air cargo has been particularly impressive. As trade flows adapt to a protectionist US tariff regime, air cargo has been the hero of global trade buoyed in part by robust e-commerce and semiconductor shipments to support the boom in AI investments.

“Notably, air cargo enabled front-loading to deliver products ahead of tariff deadlines, and it flexibly accommodated demand surges as tariffed goods normally destined for the US found new markets. The critical role of air cargo is front and centre as the global economy adjusts to new realities.”

For more information about the U-Freight Group’s global air freight forwarding and logistics services, or our e-commerce logistics operations, please visit the relevant pages of this website or contact your local office, details of which can be seen here: https://ufreight.com/locations