Air Freight Forwarding Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends And Forecast (2025 - 2030)

Global Air Freight Forwarding Market Trends and Insights

Global E-commerce Boom

Cross-border e-commerce now represents more than 50% of Asia-originating air cargo volumes, compressing peak-season timelines and amplifying forwarder demand for express capacity. It is forecasted that global online retail penetration to reach 24% worldwide and 26% in the United States by 2025, reinforcing demand for fast transit solutions that favor air over ocean. The scheduled removal of the U.S. de minimis exemption on August 29, 2025, increases customs-clearance complexity and is expected to lift international parcel volumes as shippers consolidate shipments to reduce compliance burdens. Forwarders respond by reallocating block-space agreements toward lanes with high small-parcel density, particularly Asia–North America, while deploying API-based booking engines that shorten quotation cycles. These dynamics raise yield volatility yet reward operators that can flex network capacity to seasonal surges.

Near-shoring & Time-Critical Supply-Chains

Regionalization of manufacturing has spawned new North America–centric corridors as companies prioritize resilience over lowest-cost sourcing, pushing secondary U.S. airports such as San Bernardino International and Wilmington Air Park to record cargo growth in 2024 and 2025. Near-shoring dynamics shift volume away from congested coastal gateways toward inland facilities that offer faster truck-to-air transfers, enhancing supply-chain agility for high-value electronics and automotive components. Cross-border hubs in Tijuana and Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport illustrate how specialized infrastructure accelerates Mexico–U.S. e-commerce flows. Distributed networks mitigate slot constraints at tier-1 airports and disperse geopolitical risk. Forwarders leverage these routes to differentiate service offerings aimed at customers seeking shorter replenishment cycles.

Growth in Temperature-Controlled & High-Value Cargo

Pharmaceutical volumes rose 22% at IAG Cargo and 25% at Emirates SkyCargo in 2025, reflecting rising demand for stringent temperature compliance^{[1]Air Cargo Week Staff, “IAG Cargo reports 22 percent surge in pharmaceutical shipments,” Air Cargo Week, aircargoweek.com}. Personalized medicine and cell-therapy shipments require ultra-cold chain custody, underpinning premium yields that exceed general cargo rates by multiples. UPS enhanced its cold-chain services to cover multiple temperature bands and incorporate real-time monitoring that lowers excursion risks. Pharmaceutical shippers also pursue reusable packaging solutions, expected to scale from 30% to 70% adoption, which improves sustainability credentials and threatens one-way packaging suppliers. Forwarders with certifications such as GDP and CEIV Pharma secure competitive moats because regulatory oversight grows stricter in mature markets.

Freighter Conversions Unlocking Latent Capacity

Post-pandemic conversion programs have introduced aircraft such as the A321P2F, delivering 55% more containerized space than earlier narrowbody freighters. Airbus projects demand for 1,000 small-freighter conversions over two decades, easing capacity imbalances created by reduced passenger belly space. Operators like Atlas Air are committed to eleven additional aircraft and a 55-year lease at Anchorage to anchor Asia–North America flows. Converted freighters offer route flexibility unattainable for passenger carriers, enabling forwarders to deploy point-to-point services that bypass congested hubs. Conversion pipelines diversify fleet composition and mitigate exposure to OEM delivery delays for new-build freighters.

Volatile Jet-Fuel Prices

IATA projects average jet-fuel at USD 87 per barrel in 2025 versus USD 99 in 2024, yet fuel still accounts for 26.4% of airline operating costs, putting pressure on forwarder procurement margins. Sustainable Aviation Fuel mandates elevate cost variability because SAF trades at a significant premium to kerosene. Production volumes are slated to reach 713.26 million gallons in 2025, but supply limitations keep prices elevated. Forwarders hedge exposure through index-linked contracts, yet smaller shippers often resist fuel-surcharge escalations, squeezing margins. Net-zero commitments press carriers to adopt SAF irrespective of cost, embedding structural price risk into air cargo economics.

Sustainability-Driven Modal Shift to Sea & Rail

Pharmaceutical manufacturers now route more than 50% of products by sea to balance cost and emissions, underscoring mode-substitution risks facing air freight. The EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive requires roughly 50,000 firms to disclose transport emissions from 2025, with fines up to EUR 10 million (USD 10.4 million) for non-compliance. Comparable rules in the United Kingdom set a 2% SAF mandate in 2025, rising to 22% by 2040, escalating the relative cost of air freight. Corporations face reputational risk when using high-carbon modes for non-urgent cargo, tilting procurement policies toward greener transport where feasible.

Segment Analysis

By Cargo Type: General Cargo Dominance Faces Specialized Growth

General cargo accounted for 62% of 2024 revenues, anchoring the air freight forwarding market size through volumes generated by electronics, apparel, and spare parts^{[2]Centre for Aviation Analysts, “Anchorage airport: an east-west hub,” CAPA, centreforaviation.com}. Its growth rate remains modest as pricing competition intensifies and modal shift options proliferate. Special cargo and others are expected to climb at a 4.50% CAGR (2025-2030) because temperature-controlled pharmaceuticals, dangerous goods, and high-value electronics demand elevated service standards. This segment benefits from regulatory moats created by IATA and ICAO rules that limit new entrant penetration and underpin attractive yields.

Freighter conversions have disproportionate benefits for special cargo because main-deck access and specific load configurations accommodate outsized items better than belly holds. DHL’s 2025 acquisition of CRYOPDP, which manages more than 600,000 clinical-trial and biopharma shipments annually, demonstrates strategic investment in special-cargo capacity. General cargo retains resilience from the e-commerce surge, but margin dilution persists as shippers commoditize basic services. Specialized cargo, by contrast, maintains pricing power that shields operators from fuel-surcharge debates, contributing positively to the air freight forwarding market share held by high-service providers.

By Destination: International Dominance Reflects Global Integration

International routes captured 80% of 2024 revenue and is projected to sustain a 4.20% CAGR (2025-2030) as cross-border trade continues to grow despite geopolitical friction. Customs-clearance complexity and higher security requirements elevate service value, supporting premium yields. Secondary-airport initiatives create new international corridors that bypass congested hubs and speed last-mile delivery into key consumption centers.

Domestic air freight contends with sustainability mandates encouraging modal substitution to rail and truck for short distances, pressuring growth potential in Europe and parts of Asia. Nonetheless, domestic networks still play a pivotal role in large geographies such as the United States and China, where e-commerce giants require overnight coverage. Slot constraints at mega hubs encourage forwarders to integrate road-feeder services that complement air legs, aligning network design with evolving customer lead-time expectations.

By End-user Industry: Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Lead Growth Trajectory

E-commerce and retail formed the largest end-user block at 28.22% of 2024 sales, buoyed by surging direct-to-consumer demand and rapid fulfillment expectations. Healthcare and pharmaceuticals are expected to deliver the fastest 5.70% CAGR (2025-2030), reflecting the proliferation of biologics and gene therapies that require strict temperature control and qualified handling procedures. Higher value-to-weight ratios justify air transport costs, reinforcing specialized service adoption.

Manufacturing and automotive segments face mixed outlooks; near-shoring reduces long-haul moves but increases intra-regional expedited shipments for supply-chain recovery. High-tech and electronics retain growth momentum due to shorter product cycles and miniaturization that heightens value density. Perishables and fresh produce emerge as growth themes given improving cold-chain networks that extend shelf life and expand export reach from Latin America to major consumer markets. Forwarders deploy dedicated pharma corridors with GDP-certified facilities, strengthening differentiation in a segment where compliance expertise directly correlates with customer retention.

Geography Analysis

Asia-Pacific accounted for 35% of global revenues in 2024 and is projected to advance at a 5.30% CAGR (2025-2030), propelled by China’s export engine, India’s 6–9% projected cargo growth, and intra-regional e-commerce expansion. Wide-body freighter scarcity in India offers growth prospects for forwarders that can deploy capacity quickly, while hubs like Anchorage enable efficient trans-Pacific transfers^{[3]IATA, “IATA & ICAO extend cooperation on dangerous goods,” IATA, iata.org}.

North America maintains a significant share through embedded e-commerce infrastructure and near-shoring trade with Mexico and Canada. Regional gateways expand to accommodate time-critical flows, with San Bernardino and Wilmington illustrating how inland airports capture volumes that once funneled through Los Angeles or New York. Sustainability pressures are lower relative to Europe, granting growth runway for express freight services.

Europe faces tighter environmental regulations that nudge shippers toward sea or rail for non-urgent cargo. Still, pharmaceuticals and high-value electronics sustain air freight demand, and carriers leverage joint ventures to optimize capacity amid stringent slot allocations. The Middle East and Africa serve as connective hubs linking Asia, Europe, and Africa. Investments in data centers and e-commerce infrastructure, paired with the region’s geographic advantage, foster specialized freight flows for IT equipment and perishables.