Source: US DOT
U.S. airlines carried 9% more cargo by weight in March 2021 (preliminary) than in March 2020. The rise was fueled by gains of nearly 4% in domestic cargo and 24% in international cargo, according to data filed with the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) by 12 of the leading U.S. cargo airlines. March 2020 was the first month in which the pandemic started affecting air cargo totals.
The 12 airlines carry 95% of the total cargo by weight transported on U.S. airlines. Cargo data consists of freight and mail carried within the U.S. and between the U.S. and foreign points.
March 2021 (preliminary) air cargo numbers for 12 U.S. cargo carriers:
- Total: 1,582 thousand tons, up 8.7% from March 2020 (1,455T tons)
- Domestic: 1,139 thousand tons, up 3.8% from March 2020 (1,098T tons)
- International: 443 thousand tons, up 24.0% from March 2020 (357T tons)
U.S. airline traffic reports are filed monthly with BTS. Final March data will be released on June 10. Complete international data by origin and destination, which is under a six-month confidentiality restriction, will be release on Sept. 17.
Systemwide Cargo (Domestic + International)
- March 2021 cargo: 1,582T tons
- Change from March 2020: +8.7%
- Change from February 2021: +14.8%
- Recent high: December 2020 (1,854T tons)
- Recent low: February 2020 (1,255T tons)
| Table 1: Systemwide Percent Change in US Airlines Cargo in pounds from the Same Month of the Previous Year 2017 – 2021 | ||||
| Cargo = Freight + Mail | ||||
| Year-to-Year Percent Change | ||||
| 2017 – 2018 | 2018 – 2019 | 2019 – 2020 | 2020 – 2021 | |
| January | 10.6 | 4.9 | -1.4 | 13.5 |
| February | 9.3 | -0.4 | -0.4 | 9.8 |
| March | 5.7 | -0.3 | -1.4 | 8.7 |
| April | 5.7 | 4.5 | -1.3 | – |
| May | 9.0 | 3.1 | 1.2 | – |
| June | 5.6 | -1.2 | 9.5 | – |
| July | 6.6 | 3.6 | 12.8 | – |
| August | 4.8 | 0.2 | 5.7 | – |
| September | 4.9 | -4.5 | 18.6 | – |
| October | 5.7 | -1.2 | 13.0 | – |
| November | -0.7 | -2.2 | 13.0 | – |
| December | 0.2 | 0.7 | 16.9 | – |
| Year-to-date Jan – Mar | 8.4 | 1.4 | -1.1 | 10.7 |
| Annual | 5.4 | 0.5 | 7.3 | – |
Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, T-100 Market
* March 2021 data is preliminary
Domestic Cargo
- March 2021 cargo: 1,139T tons
- Change from March 2020: +3.8%
- Change from February 2021: +15.0%
- Recent high: December 2020 (1,420T tons)
- Recent low: February 2020 (944T tons)
- Domestic as percent of total cargo March 2020: 75.5%
- Domestic as percent of total cargo March 2021: 72.0%
| Table 2: Domestic Percent Change in US Airlines Freight in pounds from the Same Month of the Previous Year 2017 – 2021 | ||||
| Domestic freight has a U.S. origin and U.S. destination | ||||
| Cargo = Freight + Mail | ||||
| Year-to-Year Percent Change | ||||
| 2017 – 2018 | 2018 – 2019 | 2019 – 2020 | 2020 – 2021 | |
| January | 10.3 | 6.2 | 0.5 | 12.6 |
| February | 9.0 | 0.7 | 1.9 | 5.0 |
| March | 3.9 | -0.2 | 3.4 | 3.8 |
| April | 4.9 | 8.2 | 3.8 | – |
| May | 9.0 | 4.6 | 4.7 | – |
| June | 4.6 | 0.7 | 13.3 | – |
| July | 6.7 | 6.7 | 15.8 | – |
| August | 4.7 | 0.2 | 7.2 | – |
| September | 4.1 | -2.8 | 21.7 | – |
| October | 6.1 | 1.7 | 14.3 | – |
| November | -0.4 | -1.6 | 13.6 | – |
| December | 0.1 | 4.6 | 15.9 | – |
| Year-to-date Jan – Mar | 7.5 | 2.2 | 1.9 | 7.1 |
| Annual | 5.0 | 2.4 | 9.8 | – |
Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, T-100 Domestic Market
* March 2021 data is preliminary
International Cargo
- March 2021 cargo: 443T tons
- Change from March 2020: +24.0%
- Change from February 2021: +14.4%
- Recent high: November 2020 (447T tons)
- Recent low: February 2020 (311T tons)
- Domestic as percent of total cargo March 2020: 24.5%
- Domestic as percent of total cargo March 2021: 28.0%
| Table 3: International Percent Change in US Airlines Cargo in pounds from the Same Month of the Previous Year 2017 – 2021 | ||||
| International freight on a U.S. airline is carried between a U.S. airport and a foreign airport. | ||||
| Cargo = Freight + Mail | ||||
| Year-to-Year Percent Change | ||||
| 2017 – 2018 | 2018 – 2019 | 2019 – 2020 | 2020 – 2021 | |
| January | 11.3 | 1.5 | -6.7 | 16.2 |
| February | 10.2 | -3.4 | -6.7 | 24.4 |
| March | 10.6 | -0.5 | -13.6 | 24.0 |
| April | 7.7 | -4.5 | -15.4 | – |
| May | 8.9 | -1.0 | -8.4 | – |
| June | 8.4 | -5.7 | -0.7 | – |
| July | 6.5 | -4.1 | 4.5 | – |
| August | 5.2 | 0.1 | 1.6 | – |
| September | 6.8 | -8.8 | 10.5 | – |
| October | 4.6 | -8.7 | 9.5 | – |
| November | -1.5 | -3.7 | 11.4 | – |
| December | 0.4 | -10.7 | 20.1 | – |
| Year-to-date Jan – Mar | 10.8 | 8.7 | 0.7 | 7.5 |
| Annual | 6.4 | -4.2 | 0.4 | – |
Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, T-100 International Market
* March 2021 data is preliminary