Air cargo capacity and routing options are tightening in 2026 as ongoing supply chain volatility and trade-lane realignments reshape the global airfreight landscape, industry analysts say. Demand growth persists, but carriers are increasingly redeploying capacity and narrowing options on key corridors, contributing to bottlenecks on certain routes.
Industry sources report that airfreight choices have become more limited this year after supply chain disruptions in 2025 prompted shippers and carriers to reassess networks and service levels. As a result, several lanes that previously offered abundant capacity now face tighter space and scheduling challenges.
A notable trend is the shift in airline capacity deployment: while overall air cargo capacity has nudged up modestly in early 2026, carriers are reallocating resources away from traditional long-haul markets such as Asia–North America toward routes like Asia–Europe and Asia–Middle East, where demand has strengthened. This redeployment reflects broader trade pattern changes and differential demand growth across regions.
The evolving picture comes amid uneven global trade growth and adjustments in supply chain strategies, as companies diversify sourcing and routing to mitigate tariff uncertainties and logistical disruptions. Industry observers say this dynamic environment is likely to keep airfreight networks tight in certain corridors throughout 2026, reinforcing air cargo’s strategic role but also highlighting capacity constraints that carriers and shippers will need to navigate carefully.
