Market Summary:-

According to our latest research, the global air freight market size reached USD 152.7 billion in 2024, reflecting robust growth amid evolving international trade dynamics. The market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 5.1% over the forecast period, reaching a projected value of USD 239.1 billion by 2033. This steady growth is driven by a surge in e-commerce, the need for rapid delivery in the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors, and ongoing global supply chain optimization. The air freight market continues to play a pivotal role in facilitating cross-border trade, especially for high-value and time-sensitive goods, as per our latest industry analysis.

Introduction: When Cities Breathe at the Speed of Flight

Urban India moves fast—but what keeps it moving smoothly is often unseen. While metros expand, lifestyles accelerate, and expectations rise, one industry works silently above the clouds to ensure life in cities remains uninterrupted: the air freight market.

From same-day smartphone deliveries to life-saving vaccines reaching hospitals overnight, air freight has become the pulse of urban convenience. It is no longer a luxury logistics option—it is the infrastructure of immediacy for modern Indian cities.

Understanding the Air Freight Market Beyond Cargo Planes

Air freight is not just about transporting goods by aircraft. It is a precision ecosystem combining speed, reliability, security, and global connectivity.

In urban India, air freight connects:

• Manufacturers to global buyers
• Hospitals to critical medical supplies
• E-commerce platforms to time-sensitive consumers
• Startups to international markets without geographic barriers

For city dwellers, this means availability without waiting.

Why Urban India Is Naturally Aligned with Air Freight

1. Time Has Become the Most Valuable Currency

In cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi, and Hyderabad, time defines lifestyle choices. Air freight aligns perfectly with this reality by enabling:

• Overnight restocking of high-value goods
• Rapid movement of perishable food and pharmaceuticals
• Just-in-time inventory for urban retailers

Urban consumers may not see the aircraft—but they feel its impact every day.

2. E-Commerce Has Changed the Rules of Logistics

Urban Indians expect:

• Faster deliveries
• Product freshness
• Global brands at local doorsteps

Air freight supports this shift by handling:

• High-value electronics
• Fashion with short life cycles
• Cross-border direct-to-consumer shipments

For urban lifestyles, air freight is the difference between wanting now and getting now.

Airports Are Becoming Urban Trade Gateways

Modern Indian airports are evolving into logistics cities.

The Rise of Cargo-Centric Airports

Airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Chennai are now equipped with:

• Dedicated cargo terminals
• Cold-chain infrastructure
• Digital customs clearance systems

This transformation allows urban businesses to operate on global timelines, not regional limitations.

Air Freight and the Urban Healthcare Advantage

Few urban residents realise how deeply air freight supports city healthcare systems.

Critical Care at Flight Speed

Air freight ensures:

• Emergency medicines arrive within hours
• Organs for transplant reach hospitals on time
• Temperature-sensitive vaccines remain viable

For urban populations, this translates into better healthcare outcomes without delay.

Sustainability: Redefining Air Freight for Smart Cities

Urban India is increasingly sustainability-conscious, and the air freight market is responding.

Greener Skies for Smarter Cities

The industry is adopting:

• Fuel-efficient aircraft
• Sustainable aviation fuels
• Optimised flight routing using AI

For urban citizens, this means convenience without compromising environmental responsibility.

Technology Is Making Air Freight Urban-Friendly

Digitalisation of the Skies

Advanced technologies are reshaping air freight operations:

• AI-based demand forecasting
• Blockchain-enabled shipment tracking
• Paperless customs documentation

Urban businesses benefit from predictability, while consumers enjoy transparency.

India’s Urban Manufacturing and Export Advantage

Urban manufacturing hubs rely on air freight to compete globally.

From City Factories to Global Markets

Air freight enables:

• MSMEs to export high-value products
• Electronics and precision engineering sectors to meet global timelines
• Fashion and jewellery brands to serve international buyers

Urban India is no longer a back-office economy—it is a front-line global supplier.

The Consumer Experience: How City Life Becomes Easier

Urban residents experience air freight without realising it:

• Fresh seafood in inland cities
• International gadgets launching simultaneously worldwide
• Reliable availability during festivals and peak seasons

Air freight removes distance as a limitation in urban consumption.

Competative Landscape

• DHL Global Forwarding
• Kuehne + Nagel International AG
• DB Schenker
• FedEx Corporation
• United Parcel Service (UPS)
• Expeditors International of Washington, Inc.
• C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc.
• DSV Panalpina A/S
• Nippon Express Co., Ltd.
• CEVA Logistics
• Agility Logistics
• Sinotrans Limited
• Kintetsu World Express, Inc.
• Bolloré Logistics
• GEODIS
• Yusen Logistics Co., Ltd.
• Hellmann Worldwide Logistics
• Panalpina Welttransport (now part of DSV)
• Damco (Maersk Logistics)
• Toll Group

Future Outlook: Air Freight as Urban Infrastructure

In the coming decade, air freight will be viewed not as a logistics service, but as urban infrastructure—as essential as metros, highways, and digital networks.

For urban India, air freight will:

• Enable smarter cities
• Support resilient supply chains
• Power high-value economic growth

Source:- https://researchintelo.com/report/air-freight-market