Air transport, freight (million ton-km) in World
World: Air transport, freight (million ton-km) was 213,782 million ton-km in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
213,782 million ton-km
Change on year
up 5.6%
Rank
1st
of 47 groups
All-time high
222,157 million ton-km
in 2018
All-time low
15,569 million ton-km
in 1973
Years of data
51
1973–2023
Air transport, freight in World, 1973–2023
Source: Civil Aviation Statistics of the World, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Measured in million ton-km.
Analysis
World recorded 213,782 million ton-km for air transport, freight in 2023.
The figure is up 5.6% on the previous year and up 21.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, air transport, freight in World peaked at 222,157 million ton-km in 2018 and was at its lowest, 15,569 million ton-km, in 1973.
World ranks 1st of 47 groups 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 World, year by year
| Year | million ton-km | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1973 | 15,569 million ton-km | — |
| 1974 | 16,955 million ton-km | +8.9% |
| 1975 | 17,236 million ton-km | +1.7% |
| 1976 | 19,300 million ton-km | +12.0% |
| 1977 | 21,323 million ton-km | +10.5% |
| 1978 | 23,580 million ton-km | +10.6% |
| 1979 | 25,627 million ton-km | +8.7% |
| 1980 | 26,825 million ton-km | +4.7% |
| 1981 | 28,360 million ton-km | +5.7% |
| 1982 | 29,046 million ton-km | +2.4% |
| 1983 | 32,408 million ton-km | +11.6% |
| 1984 | 36,842 million ton-km | +13.7% |
| 1985 | 37,062 million ton-km | +0.6% |
| 1986 | 40,332 million ton-km | +8.8% |
| 1987 | 45,393 million ton-km | +12.5% |
| 1988 | 50,419 million ton-km | +11.1% |
| 1989 | 54,428 million ton-km | +8.0% |
| 1990 | 56,125 million ton-km | +3.1% |
| 1991 | 56,142 million ton-km | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 61,025 million ton-km | +8.7% |
| 1993 | 67,523 million ton-km | +10.6% |
| 1994 | 77,183 million ton-km | +14.3% |
| 1995 | 83,098 million ton-km | +7.7% |
| 1996 | 89,165 million ton-km | +7.3% |
| 1997 | 102,876 million ton-km | +15.4% |
| 1998 | 101,788 million ton-km | -1.1% |
| 1999 | 108,630 million ton-km | +6.7% |
| 2000 | 118,257 million ton-km | +8.9% |
| 2001 | 110,861 million ton-km | -6.3% |
| 2002 | 117,507 million ton-km | +6.0% |
| 2003 | 124,203 million ton-km | +5.7% |
| 2004 | 139,033 million ton-km | +11.9% |
| 2005 | 141,484 million ton-km | +1.8% |
| 2006 | 148,938 million ton-km | +5.3% |
| 2007 | 158,206 million ton-km | +6.2% |
| 2008 | 158,488 million ton-km | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 175,509 million ton-km | +10.7% |
| 2010 | 182,499 million ton-km | +4.0% |
| 2011 | 183,532 million ton-km | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 175,567 million ton-km | -4.3% |
| 2013 | 176,422 million ton-km | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 185,517 million ton-km | +5.2% |
| 2015 | 188,363 million ton-km | +1.5% |
| 2016 | 195,588 million ton-km | +3.8% |
| 2017 | 213,629 million ton-km | +9.2% |
| 2018 | 222,157 million ton-km | +4.0% |
| 2019 | 219,524 million ton-km | -1.2% |
| 2020 | 182,526 million ton-km | -16.9% |
| 2021 | 219,227 million ton-km | +20.1% |
| 2022 | 202,493 million ton-km | -7.6% |
| 2023 | 213,782 million ton-km | +5.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 19,941 million ton-km | 15,569 million ton-km | 25,627 million ton-km | 7 |
| 1980s | 38,111 million ton-km | 26,825 million ton-km | 54,428 million ton-km | 10 |
| 1990s | 80,356 million ton-km | 56,125 million ton-km | 108,630 million ton-km | 10 |
| 2000s | 139,249 million ton-km | 110,861 million ton-km | 175,509 million ton-km | 10 |
| 2010s | 194,280 million ton-km | 175,567 million ton-km | 222,157 million ton-km | 10 |
| 2020s | 204,507 million ton-km | 182,526 million ton-km | 219,227 million ton-km | 4 |
Countries ranked near World
- 1 United States 42,763 million ton-km compare
- 2 China 26,170 million ton-km compare
- 3 Qatar 13,927 million ton-km compare
- 4 United Arab Emirates 13,566 million ton-km compare
More infrastructure data for World
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 9.17 billion (2025)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 111.5 per 100 people (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 815.00 million (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 9.9 per 100 people (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per capita 0.0992 units per person (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, annual growth rate -2.16 % change on previous year (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, gaps filled 815.00 million (2025)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita 1.12 units per person (2025)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is air transport, freight in World?
- Air transport, freight in World was 213,782 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 World?
- The highest recorded value was 222,157 million ton-km in 2018.
- What is the lowest air transport, freight recorded in World?
- The lowest recorded value was 15,569 million ton-km in 1973.
- How does World rank for air transport, freight?
- World ranks 1st out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is air transport, freight rising or falling in World?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this World 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 — 51 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.