After the paralysis brought on by Typhoon Wipha in the second half of July, air cargo flows between Asia and the United States are showing clear signs of recovery. This is highlighted by weekly data released by WorldAcd Market Data, referring to the thirtieth week of the year (21 to 27 July 2025), which offer a snapshot of a sector slowly but steadily returning to normal.
Air freight is among the most sensitive indicators to sudden changes in global conditions. Extreme weather events, such as Typhoon Wipha, have an immediate impact on available capacity and the volume of goods moved. The recovery observed between China, Hong Kong and the United States is therefore significant for international logistics operators, who are hoping for greater stability after months of high volatility, also driven by US trade policies.
Specifically, air cargo volumes from China to the United States rose by 4% in the thirtieth week compared to the previous one, while Hong Kong recorded a 5% increase. This marks a strong rebound from the previous week's declines of 3% and 9%, respectively, when hundreds of flights were cancelled on 19 and 20 July due to Typhoon Wipha's arrival in Hong Kong and southeast China.
The situation is different for flows to Europe. Airfreight volumes from Hong Kong to European countries showed only a slight increase of 2%, insufficient to offset the 7% drop recorded the previous week. Even worse was the performance of routes from China to Europe, which fell by a further 2% after a 6% drop in week twenty-nine. Overall, the return of capacity on transpacific routes led to a general 3% growth in the Asia-Pacific to US corridor, contributing to a partial stabilisation of a market that has proven particularly unstable throughout 2025.
In terms of pricing, WorldAcd data indicate general stability in spot rates, with a modest 2% increase on US-bound shipments, reaching an average of 4.89 dollars per kilo. One exception was the South Korea–US market, which saw sharp fluctuations: after a 17% collapse in week twenty-nine, rates rebounded by 29% in week thirty, reaching 6.01 dollars per kilo, the second-highest figure of the year. The situation on Asia–Europe routes was more moderate, with an overall 2% decline in transported volumes. Among the major routes, the most affected was the Japan–Europe corridor, which dropped by 10%.
Despite regional turbulence, July is ending with a degree of relative stability for global air cargo. In the thirtieth week, volumes and average rates remained broadly unchanged from the previous week. Some notable movements were still recorded, including a 3% increase in volumes out of Europe, compared with a 3% drop from the Middle East and South Asia (Mesa) and a 2% decline from North America.
Global freight rates, combining contracted and spot prices, rose by 1% on average, reaching 2.45 dollars per kilo, in line with the same period in 2024. Spot rates followed a similar trend, up 1% to 2.66 dollars per kilo, though still slightly lower (down 1%) than a year ago. There was a sharp swing in Africa, where a 13% increase in week twenty-nine was followed by an 11% drop in week thirty.
On a year-on-year basis, week thirty marked a 5% increase in total transported weight compared to the same period in 2024. All major regions of origin contributed to this rise: Asia-Pacific saw a 7% gain, Central and South America rose by 5%, and Europe added 3%. Average global prices were only slightly higher than a year earlier (up 1%), but the Mesa region experienced a marked decline, with contract rates down 11% and spot rates falling by as much as 20%.
