African airlines recorded the strongest growth in air cargo demand globally in October 2025, with volumes rising 16.6 per cent year-on-year.

Capacity on the continent also expanded by 20% compared to October 2024, which reflects a significant operational expansion designed to meet the rising demand.

This data was sourced from the International Air Transport Association report on October 2025 global air cargo markets. The report confirmed the leading position of the continent’s carriers, stating: “African airlines saw a 16.6% year-on-year increase in demand for air cargo in October, the strongest rise of all regions. Capacity increased by 20.0% year-on-year.”

Globally, total air cargo demand, which is measured in cargo tonne-kilometres, increased by 4.1% year-on-year.

Available capacity, measured in available cargo tonne-kilometres, rose by 5.1%, marking the eighth consecutive month of expansion and setting a new monthly record. This growth is supported by broader trends, including a 3% rise in goods trade and a 3.7% increase in industrial production in September, which was the fastest pace recorded since March 2025.

Beyond Africa, Asia-Pacific airlines posted an 8.3% increase in demand, with capacity rising by 7.3%, reflecting strong trade activity within Asia and on the Asia–Europe route. Middle Eastern carriers recorded a 5.7% rise in demand, with their capacity increasing by 10%, while European airlines saw a 4.3% increase in both demand and capacity.

In contrast, North American and Latin American carriers experienced weaker performances. Demand declined by 2.7% year-on-year in both regions, while capacity increased by only 0.1% for North America and 2.8% for Latin America.

Across trade lanes, the Europe–Asia route posted the strongest growth. This was followed by gains on the Middle East–Asia, Africa–Asia, and intra-Asia routes. However, volumes on the North America–Asia route and within Europe remained flat or contracted slightly.

Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General, acknowledged that while the Asia–North America trade lane continued its contraction for the sixth consecutive month, October saw double-digit or near double-digit growth within Asia, between the Middle East and Europe, and between Europe and Asia. He noted that this shows “how air cargo is enabling global supply chains to adapt to the impact of US tariffs.”

Walsh emphasized the positive nature of this development, calling it particularly significant as the air cargo sector is now entering the peak fourth-quarter shipping season.

The report also provided details on operational costs and market sentiment, noting that jet fuel prices increased by 2.5% in October, while global manufacturing sentiment improved slightly, with the PMI rising to 51.45. However, new export orders remained below the 50-point expansion threshold at 48.31, reflecting ongoing caution amid tariff uncertainty.