IATA: N. America Air Cargo Demand Dips 2.1% Y-o-Y in Aug

SECAUCUS, NJ (DTN) –  North American air cargo demand fell more than 2% year-on-year in August, even as freight volumes elsewhere grew, as carriers and shippers navigated risks associated with U.S. trade and tariff policy, international air travel association IATA said Tuesday (9/30).

“Growth patterns indicate some being diverted away from North America, fueling stronger growth for the Europe – Asia, Within Asia, Africa–Asia, and Middle East–Asia trade lanes,” Willie Walsh, IATA’s director general, said in a statement.

“This adaptability is vital as shippers navigate the evolving landscape of U.S. tariff policy,” Walsh said.

Cargo tonne-kilometers (CTKs) for North American carriers fell 2.1% year-over-year in August, the IATA data showed .

The decline stands in stark opposition to the 4.1% growth registered across the global market, with key competitors like Asia-Pacific and Africa reporting near double-digit increases.

The slowdown in North America, which accounts for over a quarter of global air freight volume, was compounded by a shrinking load factor. Capacity, measured in available cargo tonne-kilometers, or ACTKs, was reduced by 1.0% in August. The region’s cargo load factor slid to 38.4%, a decline of 0.4 percentage points from a year prior.

The Asia–North America corridor, which dictates import volumes into the U.S. fell 2.2%, leading the region’s decline in freight volumes for a fourth consecutive month.

In contrast, the North America–Europe lane bucked the trend, rising a robust 7.8% — a streak of growth that has held for 19 consecutive months, indicating continued strong transatlantic movement, potentially driven by U.S. exports.

The sluggish performance in North America arrives amid persistent caution among global manufacturers, IATA noted.

While the U.S. Manufacturing PMI in August showed optimism, the sentiment regarding new export orders remained below the critical 50-point expansion threshold. This reflect the “persistent caution amid tariff uncertainty” that disproportionately impacts U.S.-bound trade, the travel association said.