Global air cargo demand levels off in late January as prices increase.

In the third week of 2026, global air cargo demand stabilized after a year-end decline, with a 1% weekly increase in chargeable weight. Growth was driven by a 2% rise from Asia Pacific and a 10% increase from Central and South America, but was offset by a 9% drop from North America due to severe winter storms. Despite a year-on-year volume increase of 3%, air freight rates fell 1% compared to last year. Spot rates from Asia Pacific showed slight week-on-week increases, influenced by rising demand ahead of the Lunar New Year and ongoing capacity constraints. The Middle East and South Asia regions also reported significant year-on-year growth.