Europe Air Cargo Market Analysis and Forecast by Size, Share, Growth, Trends 2031

Europe Air Cargo Market: Strategic Insights

Europe Air Cargo Market

• Market Size 2024
  US$ 35,916.2 Million
• Market Size 2025-2031
  US$ 54,829.0 Million

Market Dynamics

GROWTH DRIVERS

• Surging Adoption of E-Commerce Platforms
• Increasing Number of Partnerships and Collaborations

FUTURE TRENDS

• Intelligent Cold Chain Solutions
• Implementation of Several Software Solutions

OPPORTUNITIES

• Expanding Airport Infrastructure and New Policies
• Constant Need to Transport Temperature-Sensitive Products

Regional Overview

• Europe

Market Segmentation

End User

• Retail
• Pharmaceutical or Healthcare
• Food or Beverage
• Consumer Electronics
• Automotive
• Others

Type

• Air Mail
• Air Freight

Services

• Express
• Regular

Europe Air Cargo Market Segmentation Analysis:

• By End User, the Europe Air Cargo Market is segmented into Retail, Pharmaceutical or Healthcare, Food or Beverage, Consumer Electronics, Automotive, and Others. The Pharmaceutical or Healthcare segment dominated the market in 2024.
• By Type, the Europe Air Cargo Market is segmented into Air Mail and Air Freight. The Air Freight segment dominated the market in 2024.
• By Services, the Europe Air Cargo Market is segmented into Express and Regular. The Regular segment dominated the market in 2024.

Europe Air Cargo Market Outlook

The transportation of temperature-sensitive products, including drugs, chemicals, and medicines, is creating a huge opportunity for the air cargo market. The rapid growth in pharmaceutical industries, driven by new drug launches, global clinical trials, and the need for rapid vaccine distribution, has made air cargo a critical link in the healthcare supply chain. Marken announced clinical home healthcare services that include clinical drug storage, direct-to-patient delivery, biologic sample collection, central pharmacy, and home care/nursing services. Thus, the pharmaceutical companies are highly dependent on air transportation due to time-sensitivity and temperature-controlled transportation. The rapid growth of the pharmaceutical industry has increased demand for transportation services for temperature-sensitive cargo. The demand is anticipated to increase with the increasing number of pharmaceutical and biotechnology product launches. Airlines using advanced cool chain solutions are expected to be well-placed to take full advantage of this sector. Therefore, airlines can expect increasing demand for shipping services that cater to their specific needs as the pharmaceutical industry is anticipated to increase in the coming years.

Pharmaceutical and Biotech Boom: ~68% of biotech products are temperature-sensitive, and the pharmaceutical industry's rapid growth-driven by new drug launches, global clinical trials, and the need for rapid vaccine distribution-has made air cargo a critical link in the healthcare supply chain.

Food and Perishables: Demand for fresh fruit, vegetables, seafood, and specialty foods has risen sharply, with air cargo enabling global distribution while maintaining freshness and quality. In 2024, fruit and vegetables accounted for nearly a third of all perishable goods shipped by air, with overall fresh produce air shipments growing by 8%.

Globalization and E-commerce: The globalization of trade and the surge in cross-border e-commerce have increased the need for fast, reliable, and temperature-controlled logistics solutions.

The transportation of pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and perishable goods (such as fresh produce, seafood, and flowers) is a high-value segment with stringent requirements for temperature control and time sensitivity. In 2024, the global focus on healthcare and food security has increased demand for specialized air cargo solutions. Airlines are investing in temperature-controlled containers, dedicated pharma corridors, and compliance with Good Distribution Practice (GDP) standards. The growth of personalized medicine and biologics expands the need for reliable and secure air transport. This segment offers premium yields and long-term contracts, making it an attractive opportunity for carriers

Europe Air Cargo Market Country Insights

By country, the Europe Air Cargo Market is segmented into France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, Russia, and the Rest of Europe. France held the largest share in 2024.

As of 2024, air cargo traffic at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport amounted to 1.9 million metric tonnes. According to the data presented by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), airports in France handled 2.2 million tonnes of air cargo.

The air cargo industry benefits from the nation's strategic geographic location in Europe, facilitating vital trade lanes such as Europe-North America, which reported an 8.5% traffic increase in March 2025. Additionally, air cargo traffic globally rose by 4.4% year-over-year (YoY) in March 2025, slightly outpacing overall trade growth, which signals strong market resilience and demand recovery after prior softness. According to Eurostat data, air freight volumes in France reached over 2.1 million tonnes in late 2023.

The increasing integration of technology, improvements in cargo safety, scalability, and speed are key priorities identified in the French air cargo sector for 2025. French hubs such as Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport are significant gateways for high-value, time-sensitive goods, including electronics, pharmaceuticals, and perishables-segments essential to domestic and global supply chains.

Airports in France are witnessing significant growth in investments to modernize current airport infrastructure. Air cargo operators are introducing new freighter aircraft to support growing air cargo demand. In 2023, the Air France-KLM Group announced that they have placed orders to acquire four A350F widebody freighter aircraft from Airbus. Martinair Holland N.V., a Dutch cargo airline part of the KLM group, will operate these four-freighter aircraft. The new freighter aircraft will allow Martinair to retire its older generation freighter aircraft and replace them with better-equipped aircraft, supporting more sustainable cargo operations. Thus, the France air cargo market is positioned for sustainable growth due to strong trade links, infrastructure investments, and prioritization of safety and speed. Continuous innovation and adapting to global supply chain demands are critical for maintaining France's competitive advantage in air freight logistics.

Europe Air Cargo Market Company Profiles

Some of the key players operating in the market include United Parcel Service Inc, FedEx Corp, ANA Cargo, Cargolux Airlines International S.A., Cathay Pacific Airways Limited, Emirates SkyCargo, Etihad Cargo, Zela Aviation The Air Charter Company, Lufthansa Group, and Deutsche Post AG

These players are adopting various strategies such as expansion, product innovation, and mergers and acquisitions to provide innovative products to their consumers and increase their market share.

Europe Air Cargo Market Research Methodology

The following methodology has been followed for the collection and analysis of data presented in this report:

Secondary Research

The research process begins with comprehensive secondary research, utilizing internal and external sources to gather qualitative and quantitative data for each market. Commonly referenced secondary research sources include, but are not limited to:

• Company websites, annual reports, financial statements, broker analyses, and investor presentations
• Industry trade journals and other relevant publications
• Government documents, statistical databases, and market reports
• News articles, press releases, and webcasts specific to companies operating in the market

Note: All financial data included in the Company Profiles section has been standardized to US$. For companies reporting in other currencies, figures have been converted to US$ using the relevant exchange rates for the corresponding year.

Primary Research

The Insight Partners conducts a significant number of primary interviews each year with industry stakeholders and experts to validate its data analysis and gain valuable insights. These research interviews are designed to:

• Validate and refine findings from secondary research
• Enhance the expertise and market understanding of the analysis team
• Gain insights into market size, trends, growth patterns, competitive dynamics, and future prospects

Primary research is conducted via email interactions and telephone interviews, encompassing various markets, categories, segments, and sub-segments across different regions. Participants typically include:

• Industry stakeholders: Vice Presidents, Business Development Managers, Market Intelligence Managers, and National Sales Managers
• External experts: Valuation specialists, research analysts, and key opinion leaders with industry-specific expertise