Global air cargo demand rose 11.2% in February 2026 compared to the same period a year prior, according to industry analysts. Capacity grew 8.5% year-over-year and the cargo load factor reached 46%, up 1.1 percentage points. Every major trade corridor posted growth during the month, reflecting broad momentum across the market and the seasonal boost that Lunar New Year characteristically generates for air freight volumes.
WHICH REGIONS LED AIR CARGO DEMAND IN FEBRUARY?
Africa-based carriers posted the strongest regional performance with demand up 21% year-over-year and capacity up 17.3%. Middle Eastern carriers followed with demand up 16.5% and capacity up 13.5%, reflecting the region’s growing role as a global air cargo hub. Asia-Pacific carriers saw demand grow 13.6% with capacity up 10.1%. North American carriers posted 9.4% demand growth against a 5.3% capacity increase, a gap that was already tightening available space on key lanes. European carriers saw 6.9% demand growth with capacity up 6.1%. Latin American and Caribbean carriers posted the softest result at 0.7%.
WHICH TRADE LANES ARE SHOWING THE STRONGEST GROWTH?
Africa-Asia led all trade lanes at 61.9%, marking eight consecutive months of expansion, driven by perishables including fruits, vegetables, and flowers moving from Africa into Asian markets, and semiconductors, machinery parts, and automotive components returning on the inbound lanes. A January 2026 trade agreement between Kenya and China granting duty-free access to 98.2% of Kenyan exports to the Chinese market is expected to further accelerate volumes on the corridor.
Middle East-Asia followed at 24% across 12 consecutive months of growth, reflecting the region’s growing role as a connecting hub for time-sensitive cargo moving between Asian production centers and downstream markets. Europe-Asia grew 13.1% across 36 consecutive months of expansion, sustained by manufacturing inputs, high-value goods, and time-critical shipments. Europe-Middle East rose 9.3%. Asia-North America grew 9.1%, with consumer electronics, semiconductors, and e-commerce volume continuing to drive demand on one of the market’s highest-volume corridors. Europe-North America climbed 5.7% across 25 consecutive months of growth.
WHAT WAS DRIVING AIR CARGO DEMAND IN FEBRUARY?
Global goods trade grew 5.2% year-over-year in January, setting a strong foundation heading into February. Lunar New Year pre-positioning added to that momentum, driving the seasonal surge in time-sensitive shipments out of Asia that the market anticipates each year. Together, both factors likely contributed to growth across every major trade corridor during the month.
WHAT DOES THE MIDDLE EAST DISRUPTION MEAN FOR AIR CARGO DEMAND?
With Gulf airspace restrictions and fuel cost pressures now affecting the region’s major cargo hubs, industry analysts expect full-year performance to differ from the trajectory February’s numbers suggested. The Middle East-Asia and Europe-Middle East lanes that carried some of the heaviest growth in February are the same lanes where capacity is now most constrained.
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