General Air Cargo In Decline As China-U.S. E-Commerce Boom Slows

Summary

• Airlines prioritized surging e-commerce shipments on trans-Pacific and Asia-Europe routes over the past few years at the expense of general air freight.
• Air cargo posted a record 2024 that saw 12% growth in global volume, with much of the demand generated by e-commerce.
• Since May 2, when the US revoked the duty-free status of low-value imports from China, there has been a drop in air cargo demand on the trans-Pacific.

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Airlines prioritized surging e-commerce shipments on trans-Pacific and Asia-Europe routes over the past few years at the expense of general air freight. But as US tariffs curb low-value imports from China, carriers are finding traditional markets have