Air cargo was central to enabling frontloading in early 2025 and continues to play an important role in US imports in 2026, notably in comparison to US imports by other modes of transport.
US imports surged in the first quarter of 2025 thanks to widespread frontloading ahead of expected tariff increases. Air cargo enabled this response on a scale. Import values transported by air rose by around 70–95% year‑on‑year (YoY) in January to March 2025, while growth via other modes was far more limited.
