Market Size of Air Freight Forwarding Industry
| Study Period | 2020 - 2029 |
| Base Year For Estimation | 2023 |
| Market Size (2024) | USD 110.91 Billion |
| Market Size (2029) | USD 147.35 Billion |
| CAGR (2024 - 2029) | 4.00 % |
| Market Concentration | Low |
Major Players
*Disclaimer: Major Players sorted in no particular order |
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Air Freight Forwarding Market Analysis
The Air Freight Forwarding Market size is estimated at USD 110.91 billion in 2024, and is expected to reach USD 147.35 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 4% during the forecast period (2024-2029).
Although land and ship cargo transportation remain outstanding options, goods transport by air is considered the quickest and unhindered mode. Global air cargo demand, measured by cargo tonne-kilometers (CTKs), was 21.1 billion in October, increasing by 3.5% month-on-month (MoM). However, industry CTKs fell by 13.6% YoY compared to the same month in 2022 and were also 6.2% lower than the pre-pandemic levels in 2019. Seasonally adjusted (SA) air cargo demand softened slightly in October 2022, with a 2.3% MoM decline compared with September. Similar to the CTKs, SA CTKs contracted by 13.1% YoY and were 6.1% lower than in October 2019.
The air cargo industry persisted in October 2022, including high inflation rates in advanced economies, weak performance in the global flows of goods and services, the ongoing war in Ukraine, and the unusual strength of the US dollar. All of these factors put downward pressure on air cargo growth. The new export orders, historically a leading indicator for air cargo shipments, were still not buoyant. The global PMI remains below the critical 50 lines, suggesting continued contraction on average globally. China and Korea registered slightly higher new export orders in October 2022 than in September 2022, although they remained below 50. Other significant economies maintained a downward trend. Notably, Germany moved sideways at levels below 50 since March, signaling the continuous impact on the economy of the war in Eastern Europe.
Industry-wide air cargo capacity, measured by available cargo tonne-kilometers (ACTKs), increased by 2% compared with September. It produced an industry cargo load factor (CLF) of -7.4% in October, down from -7.0% in September. Industry SA ACTKs remained at about the same level compared with October 2021. Latin America achieved the highest YoY growth in SA ACTKs, at 20.3%. North America follows this with 3% YoY and the Middle East with 1.1% on the same basis. In comparison, regions that saw negative YoY growth in SA ACTKs this October were Africa (-7.5%), Europe (-5%), and Asia Pacific (-2.1%).
