What is the difference in air transport, freight between China and United States?

16,593 million ton-km, with United States ahead.

How many years of comparable data are there for China and United States?

50 years are reported by both, from 1974 to 2023.

Where does this data come from?

Civil Aviation Statistics of the World, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), published as Air transport, freight (million ton-km). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

China vs United States: Air transport, freight

China

26,170 million ton-km

in 2023

United States

42,763 million ton-km

in 2023

China rank

2nd

United States rank

1st

Air transport, freight over time

China
United States

How they compare

United States currently reports 42,763 million ton-km against 26,170 million ton-km in China, a difference of 16,593 million ton-km.

That makes United States's figure about 1.6 times China's.

Across all 50 years both countries report, United States has been ahead every year.

China ranks 2nd and United States ranks 1st of 180 countries.

United States has averaged higher in every one of the 6 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade	China	United States	Difference	Ahead
1970s	65.57 million ton-km	7,780 million ton-km	7,714 million ton-km	United States
1980s	391.14 million ton-km	10,594 million ton-km	10,203 million ton-km	United States
1990s	1,745 million ton-km	20,015 million ton-km	18,270 million ton-km	United States
2000s	7,564 million ton-km	35,158 million ton-km	27,593 million ton-km	United States
2010s	19,849 million ton-km	39,702 million ton-km	19,854 million ton-km	United States
2020s	21,340 million ton-km	43,883 million ton-km	22,543 million ton-km	United States

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher air transport, freight, China or United States?: United States, at 42,763 million ton-km against 26,170 million ton-km in China as of 2023.
What is the difference in air transport, freight between China and United States?: 16,593 million ton-km, with United States ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for China and United States?: 50 years are reported by both, from 1974 to 2023.
How do China and United States rank globally for air transport, freight?: China ranks 2nd and United States ranks 1st of 180 countries.
Where does this data come from?: Civil Aviation Statistics of the World, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), published as Air transport, freight (million ton-km). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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China vs United States: Air transport, freight. Statizoid, drawing on Civil Aviation Statistics of the World, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Retrieved 27 August 2026, from https://infrastructure.statizoid.com/compare/air-transport-freight-million-ton-km/china/united-states/

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About this data

Indicator: Air transport, freight (million ton-km)
Unit: million ton-km
Source: Civil Aviation Statistics of the World, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage: 227 places, 9,773 data points, 1970–2023
Last refreshed: 20 August 2026

Air freight is the volume of freight, express, and diplomatic bags carried on each flight stage (operation of an aircraft from takeoff to its next landing), measured in metric tons times kilometers traveled.