IATA has released a report demonstrating the crucial role of air freight in sustaining global trade and supporting economic growth in 2025, particularly amid significant trade policy uncertainty.
Two key findings indicate:
Air freight enabled $157 billion worth of U.S. imports to be loaded early in the first quarter of 2025.
In 2025, air freight transported more than two-thirds of all artificial intelligence (AI)-related goods globally.
These activities supported a 2.4% increase in global trade in 2025, significantly higher than the World Trade Organization's initial forecast. Global GDP also grew by 3.2% despite significant policy headwinds.
"Air freight is a structural component of global economic resilience. In 2025, it helped businesses absorb tariff shocks, facilitated rapid trade restructuring, and supported the expansion of AI investment, helping to sustain trade and economic growth in a challenging year," said Julia Seiermann, Head of Industry Analysis at IATA.
Pre-loading Surge
By 2025, the average applicable tariff rate in the United States will rise to approximately 17%, the highest level since the 1930s, accompanied by frequent policy adjustments and escalating trade frictions. Many companies are leveraging air freight to expedite shipments and pre-load charges.
In the first quarter of 2025, U.S. imports grew to $193 billion, a 26% year-over-year increase. The surge is primarily concentrated in air transport. Air freight imports increased by 81% year-over-year in the first quarter, totaling $157 billion (82% of the $193 billion increase in the first quarter).
Trade Route Restructuring
In addition to the pre-loading surge, businesses are restructuring their supply chains to mitigate tariff risks. U.S. importers are shifting sourcing from partners with high tariff risks, while exporters are diverting goods to other markets-particularly Europe.
Air freight has clearly demonstrated its ability to rapidly redistribute high-value and time-sensitive trade in response to policy shocks. Between April and December 2025, air freight benefited far more from the expansion of trade routes than from their contraction.
For the United States, imports increased by $213 billion on expanding trade routes, with $174 billion (82%) transported by air. Conversely, on contracting trade routes, U.S. imports decreased by $257 billion, with $77 billion (30%) typically transported by air. A similar pattern was observed in Europe: air freight accounted for 48% of the gains on expanding routes, but only 3% on contracting routes.
