Supported AI growth in 2025
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) recently released a report showing air cargo’s vital role in sustaining global trade and supporting economic growth in 2025 amid severe trade policy uncertainty.
The Report was released on the eve of the three-day ongoing 19th World Cargo Symposium 2026 currently being held in the Peruvian capital Lima.
Two key report findings were:
- Air cargo enabled the frontloading of US$ 157bn US imports in the first quarter of 2025.
- Air cargo transported more than two thirds of global AI-related goods in 2025.
These activities supported global trade growth of 2.4% in 2025, were well above initial forecasts by the World Trade Organization. Global GDP also expanded by 3.2% despite significant policy headwinds.
Global economic resilience
“Air cargo is a structural component of global economic resilience. In 2025, it helped businesses absorb tariff shocks, enabled rapid trade restructuring, and supported the expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) investment, helping sustain trade and economic growth in a challenging year,” stated Julia Seiermann, IATA’s Head of Industry Analysis.
In 2025, average applied US tariff rates rose to around 17%, their highest level since the 1930s, with frequent policy shifts and increased trade friction. Many companies used air cargo to pre-empt tariffs by accelerating shipments.
In addition to the frontloading surge, companies began restructuring supply chains to reduce tariff exposure. US importers shifted sourcing away from heavily tariff-exposed partners, while exporters redirected shipments toward alternative markets, particularly in Europe.
Powering the AI investment boom
As AI investment surged in 2025, air cargo efficiently and reliably delivered high-value, time-sensitive equipment such as servers, data storage units, and memory chips.
In 2025:
- More than two thirds of the value of AI-related trade was carried by air.
- Air cargo consignments of AI-related goods grew 20% year-on-year.
AI-related goods accounted for 53.5% of the total value of air-transported trade, while representing just 7% of its volume—highlighting the segment’s high value density and strategic importance for the industry.
