Air cargo demand rises 7.7 percent in September as fuel costs bite

Growth was recorded across every region, but IATA warns that jet fuel prices more than double last year’s level are making it harder to ship cargo profitably. Global air cargo demand rose 7.7 percent year-on-year in September, according to data released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) on 29th October 2026.

Total demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometres (CTKs), increased by 7.7 percent compared to September 2025, rising to 8.6 percent for international operations. Capacity, measured in available cargo tonne-kilometres (ACTKs), grew at a slower pace, increasing by 2.7 percent year-on-year, and by 3.3 percent for international operations.

“Air cargo demand rose 7.7 percent year-on-year in September, with growth across all regions. Stronger global trade and manufacturing provided a supportive backdrop, while AI-related shipments helped drive another month of double-digit growth across the Pacific,” Marie Owens Thomsen, Senior Vice President Sustainability and Chief Economist of IATA said.

“The challenge is cost. Jet fuel prices have more than doubled compared with a year ago, and yields have not kept pace. There is no shortage of goods to ship, but doing that profitably in the face of persistently high fuel prices has become more challenging.”

This story was originally published by Air Cargo Week. Read the full story at Air Cargo Week →