AI Equipment Demand Drives Air Cargo Rates Up 30% Year on Year

· Logistics

Air cargo rates are up 30% year over year with volumes up 6%, as demand for AI-related equipment and global disruptions prevent an anticipated recession in the sector. FreightWaves' Eric Kulisch attributes the boom to AI hardware demand rather than traditional consumer goods, alongside the effect of network disruptions. The report also notes drone delivery players including Wing and Zipline as emerging players in the air logistics space. The surge marks a sharp turnaround for a market that had been expected to weaken, and it raises questions about how long the AI-driven lift can last.

Why it matters：AI hardware has become a structural driver of air freight demand, changing how carriers and forwarders plan capacity and pricing beyond consumer-goods cycles.

Key points

  • Rates up 30% year over year; volumes up 6%.
  • AI equipment demand cited as the main driver of the boom.
  • Wing and Zipline highlighted among drone delivery players.

Sources (original reporting)

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