African Airlines Lead Global Cargo Growth With 13.3% Surge
African airlines recorded the strongest cargo demand growth globally in May 2026, with traffic rising 13.3% year-on-year, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
The performance outpaced the global average of 6.0% growth, which was supported by stronger trade and manufacturing activity despite ongoing geopolitical and economic uncertainties.
IATA noted that while African demand surged, cargo capacity rose only 1.3%, highlighting the resilience of carriers operating along Africa–Asia and other trade corridors.
Globally, total cargo demand measured in cargo tonne-kilometres (CTK) increased by 6.0%, while international demand grew 6.5%. Capacity expanded by 1.9% worldwide and 2.8% for international operations.
Regional breakdown showed North America posting the second-fastest growth at 10.5%, followed by Asia-Pacific (8.0%) and Europe (6.7%).
Latin America and the Caribbean recorded a modest 1.9% rise, while the Middle East contracted by 8.9% due to conflict-related disruptions.
IATA said global trade expanded by 5.0% year-on-year, marking the 25th consecutive month of growth, while manufacturing output remained strong.
However, export demand was subdued, with the New Export Orders Index staying below 50 points at 49.6.
Jet fuel prices fell 16.3% month-on-month in May, easing some cost pressures, though they remained 93.5% higher year-on-year.
African airlines have consistently outperformed other regions in 2026, with cargo demand rising 7.7% in April, 7.0% in March, and double-digit growth earlier in the year, driven largely by robust Africa–Asia trade flows.