Global Air Cargo Prices Fell at the End of June and Beginning of July 2026

According to the weekly report published by WorldACD Market Data, global air cargo prices continued their downward trend in the last days of June and the beginning of July. Despite the increased likelihood of fresh tensions in the Middle East causing new supply chain disruptions, a general pressure emerged in the markets. The decrease in fuel expenses and weakening demand stood out as the determining factors in this decline. Thus, despite regional instabilities, a temporary relief was experienced in transportation costs. Market dynamics clearly revealed how the recent changes in the supply and demand balance affected prices.

According to the detailed data of the report, in the seven-day period ending 5 July, the global average air cargo price decreased by 1 percent compared to the previous week, falling to 3.13 dollars per kilogram. This came right after the sharp 2 percent drop experienced the previous week and reinforced the easing trend in the market. Additionally, global spot prices also fell by 2 percent, dropping to 3.62 dollars per kilogram. These weekly declines were observed simultaneously across all major regions of the world, including Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, and Central and South America. These data prove that the demand contraction, which is among the main reasons for the decline in prices, has a global dimension.

On the other hand, despite seasonal and weekly declines, spot prices continue to remain at significantly high levels compared to the same period last year. Compared to last year, global spot prices increased by 37 percent. The biggest driving force behind this annual increase was the Middle East, South Asia, and North America regions, where prices soared by 46 percent. These regions were followed by Africa with a 42 percent increase and Asia Pacific with a 37 percent rise. That is, regardless of the current weekly decline, transportation costs are generally significantly more expensive compared to last year. While the transportation sector continues to feel the effects of these high base prices, regional price differences also reveal the complex structure of the market.

In terms of cargo volumes, the slowdown in commercial activities due to the US Independence Day holiday on 4 July was effective. The stagnation brought by the holiday caused global air cargo volumes to drop by 2 percent in the same period, and this situation was added to the 1 percent volume decrease of the previous week. In this context, North America stood out as the region experiencing the largest drop in volume on a weekly basis with 10 percent, while cargo volumes in Central and South America also contracted by 7 percent. However, when evaluated on an annual basis, thanks to the 8 percent increase in Asia Pacific origin shipments, the global chargeable cargo weight was 4 percent higher compared to the previous year. This shows that despite regional contractions, long-term commercial demand remains resilient.

In the context of trade routes, the new European Union customs regulations that entered into force on 1 July caused significant disruptions in international cargo transportation. The abolition of the value exemption applied to imports under 150 Euros caused volumes in transportation from Hong Kong to Europe to fall sharply by 12 percent compared to the previous week. On the other hand, shipments from China to Europe followed a largely stable course after the 6 percent drop of the previous week; however, general cargo volumes from Asia Pacific to Europe decreased by 2 percent, and spot prices on this route fell to 5.09 dollars per kilogram. Finally, WorldACD warned that the renewed conflicts, including the US and Iran, could put pressure on air cargo markets and freight prices in the near future.