Global air cargo demand increased by 4.0% year-on-year in April 2026, despite severe operational disruptions at major Gulf hubs linked to the war in the Middle East. The figures, measured in cargo tonne-kilometers (CTK), confirm a rebound after March’s contraction and highlight the resilience of Asia-related trade flows.
Worldwide cargo capacity, in available cargo tonne-kilometers (ACTK), declined slightly by 0.4% compared with April 2025, tightening market conditions. International capacity alone fell by 0.9%. This mismatch between rising demand and broadly stable or lower capacity is reinforcing the role of dedicated freighters in maintaining global supply chains.
Asia-Pacific carriers posted the strongest regional performance, with cargo demand up 10.5% year-on-year in April and capacity up 5.3%. Traffic linked to Asia remains the main engine of growth and is absorbing part of the flows rerouted away from the Gulf.
Middle East carriers recorded the sharpest declines, with demand down 18.2% and capacity falling 22.9% in April. Major Gulf hubs have been heavily disrupted by the regional conflict, forcing a reconfiguration of key intercontinental corridors, including Asia–Europe and Asia–Americas, via alternative routings and operators.
The industry is operating in what is described as a complex environment combining geopolitical tension, route reorganization and elevated operating costs, even as air cargo continues to support critical logistics flows.