Air transport, freight (million ton-km) in China
China: Air transport, freight (million ton-km) 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 in China, 1974–2023
Source: Civil Aviation Statistics of the World, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Measured in million ton-km.
Analysis
The most recent figure for air transport, freight in China is 26,170 million ton-km, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 50 years on record.
That represents a change of up 38.0% on the previous year and up 63.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, air transport, freight 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) in China, year by year
| 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
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | 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 United States 42,763 million ton-km compare
- 3 Qatar 13,927 million ton-km compare
- 4 United Arab Emirates 13,566 million ton-km compare
- 5 Germany 12,766 million ton-km compare
More infrastructure data for China
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 1.87 billion (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 131.75 per 100 people (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 166.51 million (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 11.73 per 100 people (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per capita 0.1182 units per person (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, annual growth rate -7.19 % change on previous year (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, gaps filled 166.51 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita 1.33 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is air transport, freight in China?
- Air transport, freight in China was 26,170 million ton-km in 2023, according to Civil Aviation Statistics of the World, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
- What is the highest air transport, freight recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 26,170 million ton-km in 2023.
- What is the lowest air transport, freight recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 29.2 million ton-km in 1974.
- How does China rank for air transport, freight?
- China ranks 2nd out of 180 countries with data for 2023.
- Is air transport, freight 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 Civil Aviation Statistics of the World, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), published as part of Air transport, freight (million ton-km). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 50 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
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.