The latest air cargo insights from DHL Global Forwarding highlight strong and steady growth in the global airfreight market, with demand rising 8% year-on-year in January 2026. The Asia Pacific region continues to dominate this expansion, recording 12% year-on-year growth and contributing around 50% of the global increase in air cargo volumes. According to forecasts from International Air Transport Association, global air cargo demand is expected to grow by about 3% in 2026, with Asia Pacific remaining the leading driver of growth due to its strong electronics manufacturing, high-value goods production, and expanding cross-border e-commerce sector.
On the capacity side, global air freight capacity increased roughly 5% year-on-year in February 2026, largely supported by the recovery of passenger bellyhold capacity, particularly on routes connected to Europe. However, this growth has been uneven across regions. Airspace restrictions and flight diversions across the Middle East, along with ongoing geopolitical tensions, have forced airlines to reroute or ground thousands of flights, tightening available capacity on several key trade lanes where transit connectivity is critical. Despite these disruptions, the structural demand for air cargo remains firm, supported by technology shipments and e-commerce flows.
Market conditions also continue to influence freight rates. Air freight rates from Asia Pacific have risen about 7%, driven by strong technology exports, e-commerce demand, weather-related disruptions, and geopolitical constraints affecting capacity. Industry experts from DHL Global Forwarding note that Asia’s increasingly diversified production ecosystem helps sustain air cargo demand, as different industry sectors offset fluctuations in others. While volatility remains a defining feature of the market due to geopolitical risks, environmental regulations, and seasonal disruptions, air cargo continues to play a crucial role in maintaining supply chain resilience and supporting Asia’s position as the primary engine of global trade growth.
