Boeing Forecasts Air Cargo Traffic to Double by 2045

Boeing’s 2026 World Air Cargo Forecast projects global air cargo traffic will double by 2045, growing at an average annual rate of 3.5%. Boeing released the forecast October 28 at the International Air Cargo Association’s Air Cargo Forum in Miami.

Key details

• Boeing forecasts 2,930 freighter deliveries from 2025 to 2045, including converted passenger aircraft and newly built freighters.
• The company projects the global freighter fleet will grow from 2,395 aircraft in 2025 to 4,010 in 2045.
• Boeing expects converted passenger aircraft to make up about two-thirds of deliveries.
• Boeing projects routes serving Asia will represent about 60% of the global air cargo market.
• The forecast says express and time-definite delivery operators will carry nearly a quarter of global air cargo traffic by 2045.
• Boeing reported that global air cargo traffic reached a record in 2025, rising nearly 5% year over year.

Boeing forecasts demand for 2,930 freighter deliveries from 2025 to 2045.

Why it matters

The forecast points to a larger freighter fleet and a continuing role for passenger-aircraft conversions in moving cargo. Boeing estimates that air-shipped goods account for less than 1% of global trade volume but about one-third of its value, underscoring how air freight connects high-value goods with international markets.

What happens next

Boeing’s forecast sets out a long-term view of cargo traffic, fleet growth and freighter deliveries through 2045. Which part of the projected air cargo growth will you be watching?