Air cargo volumes from China and Hong Kong to the United States rebounded in the final week of July, following widespread flight cancellations caused by Typhoon Wipha earlier in the month. But flows to Europe have been slower to recover, according to WorldACD’s latest weekly data.

Covering week 30 (21–27 July), the report shows that tonnages to the US rose 4 percent week-on-week from China and 5 percent from Hong Kong, following storm-induced declines of 3 percent and 9 percent, respectively, in the previous week.

Recovery was more muted on the transatlantic lanes. Volumes from Hong Kong to Europe inched up by just 2 percent after a 7 percent drop, while flows from China to Europe continued to soften, falling another 2 percent.

Capacity returns to US lanes

The resumption of flights from Hong Kong and southeast China helped lift overall Asia Pacific–US volumes by 3 percent, contributing to a broader regional recovery in what has been one of the year’s most volatile markets.

Spot rates on this corridor rose 2 percent to 4.89 US dollars per kilo. Notably, rates from South Korea to the US spiked 29 percent to 6.01 dollars per kilo—their second-highest level this year—following a sharp 17 percent fall the week before.

Europe steady, Japan slides

On Asia Pacific–Europe lanes, volumes fell 2 percent overall. The largest shift came from Japan, where tonnages to Europe declined 10 percent. Rates remained relatively stable on most lanes.

Meanwhile, outbound tonnages from Europe rose 3 percent, while North America and Middle East & South Asia (MESA) registered small declines of 2 percent and 3 percent, respectively.

Global trends: a steadier July

Despite regional fluctuations, the broader air cargo market has stabilised in July. Global tonnages and rates were largely flat in week 30, with average prices rising just 1 percent to 2.45 dollars per kilo—almost identical to the same week last year.

Spot rates averaged 2.66 dollars per kilo globally, up 1 percent week-on-week but still down 1 percent year-on-year. Africa saw the biggest shift, dropping 11 percent after a 13 percent spike the week before.

Tonnage up year-on-year

Compared to the same period in 2024, global chargeable weight in week 30 was up 5 percent, with Asia Pacific leading the gains (7 percent year-on-year), followed by Central & South America (5 percent) and Europe (3 percent).

On pricing, the global average was 1 percent higher than a year ago, although rates from MESA origins have dropped significantly: contract and spot rates are down 11 percent on average, with spot pricing falling 20 percent year-on-year.