Air transport, freight (million ton-km), gaps filled in China

China: Air transport, freight (million ton-km), gaps filled was 26,170 million ton-km in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)
26,170 million ton-km
Change on year
up 38.0%
World rank
2nd
of 180 countries
All-time high
26,170 million ton-km
in 2023
All-time low
29.2 million ton-km
in 1974
Years of data
50
1974–2023

Air transport, freight (million ton-km), gaps filled in China, 1974–2023

010.0k20.0k30.0k197419982023

Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in million ton-km.

Analysis

China recorded 26,170 million ton-km for air transport, freight (million ton-km), gaps filled in 2023. That is the highest value across all 50 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 38.0% on the previous year and up 63.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, air transport, freight (million ton-km), gaps filled in China peaked at 26,170 million ton-km in 2023 and was at its lowest, 29.2 million ton-km, in 1974.

China ranks 2nd of 180 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Air transport, freight (million ton-km), gaps filled in China, year by year

Annual values for Air transport, freight (million ton-km), gaps filled in China, 1974 to 2023.
Year million ton-km Change
1974 29.2 million ton-km —
1975 46.2 million ton-km +58.2%
1976 49 million ton-km +6.1%
1977 60 million ton-km +22.4%
1978 86 million ton-km +43.3%
1979 123 million ton-km +43.0%
1980 120.9 million ton-km -1.7%
1981 155.4 million ton-km +28.5%
1982 184.2 million ton-km +18.5%
1983 216 million ton-km +17.3%
1984 302 million ton-km +39.8%
1985 403 million ton-km +33.4%
1986 467.5 million ton-km +16.0%
1987 647.5 million ton-km +38.5%
1988 731.8 million ton-km +13.0%
1989 683.1 million ton-km -6.7%
1990 818.3 million ton-km +19.8%
1991 1,010 million ton-km +23.4%
1992 1,316 million ton-km +30.4%
1993 1,547 million ton-km +17.6%
1994 1,717 million ton-km +11.0%
1995 1,501 million ton-km -12.6%
1996 1,689 million ton-km +12.5%
1997 2,084 million ton-km +23.4%
1998 2,474 million ton-km +18.7%
1999 3,295 million ton-km +33.2%
2000 3,900 million ton-km +18.3%
2001 4,232 million ton-km +8.5%
2002 5,014 million ton-km +18.5%
2003 5,651 million ton-km +12.7%
2004 7,024 million ton-km +24.3%
2005 7,579 million ton-km +7.9%
2006 7,692 million ton-km +1.5%
2007 11,190 million ton-km +45.5%
2008 11,386 million ton-km +1.8%
2009 11,976 million ton-km +5.2%
2010 17,194 million ton-km +43.6%
2011 16,765 million ton-km -2.5%
2012 15,569 million ton-km -7.1%
2013 16,054 million ton-km +3.1%
2014 17,823 million ton-km +11.0%
2015 19,806 million ton-km +11.1%
2016 21,305 million ton-km +7.6%
2017 23,324 million ton-km +9.5%
2018 25,256 million ton-km +8.3%
2019 25,395 million ton-km +0.5%
2020 19,264 million ton-km -24.1%
2021 20,961 million ton-km +8.8%
2022 18,964 million ton-km -9.5%
2023 26,170 million ton-km +38.0%

China compared with similar countries

  • China's 26,170 million ton-km is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 25.07 million ton-km, 1043.9× the median. (52 countries reporting)
  • China's 26,170 million ton-km is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 30.27 million ton-km, 864.5× the median. (29 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 65.57 million ton-km 29.2 million ton-km 123 million ton-km 6
1980s 391.14 million ton-km 120.9 million ton-km 731.8 million ton-km 10
1990s 1,745 million ton-km 818.3 million ton-km 3,295 million ton-km 10
2000s 7,564 million ton-km 3,900 million ton-km 11,976 million ton-km 10
2010s 19,849 million ton-km 15,569 million ton-km 25,395 million ton-km 10
2020s 21,340 million ton-km 18,964 million ton-km 26,170 million ton-km 4

Countries ranked near China

  1. 1 United States 42,763 million ton-km compare
  2. 3 Qatar 13,927 million ton-km compare
  3. 4 United Arab Emirates 13,566 million ton-km compare
  4. 5 Germany 12,766 million ton-km compare

See the full ranking of 227 places →

More infrastructure data for China

All data for China →

Frequently asked questions

What is air transport, freight (million ton-km), gaps filled in China?
Air transport, freight (million ton-km), gaps filled in China was 26,170 million ton-km in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
What is the highest air transport, freight (million ton-km), gaps filled recorded in China?
The highest recorded value was 26,170 million ton-km in 2023.
What is the lowest air transport, freight (million ton-km), gaps filled recorded in China?
The lowest recorded value was 29.2 million ton-km in 1974.
How does China rank for air transport, freight (million ton-km), gaps filled?
China ranks 2nd out of 180 countries with data for 2023.
Is air transport, freight (million ton-km), gaps filled rising or falling in China?
Over the last ten years it is up 63.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this China data come from?
The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Air transport, freight (million ton-km), gaps filled. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Air transport, freight (million ton-km), gaps filled in China. Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 11 October 2026, from https://infrastructure.statizoid.com/stat/air-transport-freight-million-ton-km-gaps-filled/china/

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How this figure is calculated

Air transport, freight (million ton-km) with 104 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.

Computed from

Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.

About this data

Indicator
Air transport, freight (million ton-km), gaps filled
Unit
million ton-km
Source
Statizoid (derived)
Licence
Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page
Coverage
227 places, 9,877 data points, 1970–2023
Last refreshed

Air transport, freight (million ton-km) with 104 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.