Tonne-kilometers of air freight in United States
United States: Tonne-kilometers of air freight was 42.76 billion million ton-km in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
42.76 billion million ton-km
Change on year
down 7.0%
World rank
1st
of 180 countries
All-time high
46.00 billion million ton-km
in 2021
All-time low
5.15 billion million ton-km
in 1970
Years of data
54
1970–2023
Tonne-kilometers of air freight in United States, 1970–2023
Source: International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in million ton-km.
Analysis
The most recent figure for tonne-kilometers of air freight in United States is 42.76 billion million ton-km, measured in 2023.
The figure is down 7.0% on the previous year and up 15.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, tonne-kilometers of air freight in United States peaked at 46.00 billion million ton-km in 2021 and was at its lowest, 5.15 billion million ton-km, in 1970.
United States ranks 1st of 180 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Tonne-kilometers of air freight in United States, year by year
| Year | million ton-km | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 5.15 billion million ton-km | — |
| 1971 | 5.54 billion million ton-km | +7.6% |
| 1972 | 6.28 billion million ton-km | +13.4% |
| 1973 | 7.06 billion million ton-km | +12.4% |
| 1974 | 7.26 billion million ton-km | +2.8% |
| 1975 | 7.00 billion million ton-km | -3.5% |
| 1976 | 7.44 billion million ton-km | +6.3% |
| 1977 | 7.92 billion million ton-km | +6.5% |
| 1978 | 8.41 billion million ton-km | +6.1% |
| 1979 | 8.66 billion million ton-km | +3.0% |
| 1980 | 8.62 billion million ton-km | -0.5% |
| 1981 | 8.61 billion million ton-km | -0.1% |
| 1982 | 8.30 billion million ton-km | -3.6% |
| 1983 | 9.28 billion million ton-km | +11.9% |
| 1984 | 10.29 billion million ton-km | +10.9% |
| 1985 | 9.67 billion million ton-km | -6.0% |
| 1986 | 10.62 billion million ton-km | +9.8% |
| 1987 | 12.02 billion million ton-km | +13.2% |
| 1988 | 13.88 billion million ton-km | +15.4% |
| 1989 | 14.65 billion million ton-km | +5.6% |
| 1990 | 14.79 billion million ton-km | +1.0% |
| 1991 | 14.49 billion million ton-km | -2.1% |
| 1992 | 15.62 billion million ton-km | +7.8% |
| 1993 | 16.34 billion million ton-km | +4.6% |
| 1994 | 19.08 billion million ton-km | +16.8% |
| 1995 | 19.62 billion million ton-km | +2.8% |
| 1996 | 21.68 billion million ton-km | +10.5% |
| 1997 | 25.48 billion million ton-km | +17.5% |
| 1998 | 25.76 billion million ton-km | +1.1% |
| 1999 | 27.29 billion million ton-km | +6.0% |
| 2000 | 30.17 billion million ton-km | +10.6% |
| 2001 | 27.92 billion million ton-km | -7.4% |
| 2002 | 29.55 billion million ton-km | +5.8% |
| 2003 | 34.21 billion million ton-km | +15.7% |
| 2004 | 37.45 billion million ton-km | +9.5% |
| 2005 | 37.36 billion million ton-km | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 39.88 billion million ton-km | +6.8% |
| 2007 | 40.62 billion million ton-km | +1.8% |
| 2008 | 39.31 billion million ton-km | -3.2% |
| 2009 | 35.10 billion million ton-km | -10.7% |
| 2010 | 39.35 billion million ton-km | +12.1% |
| 2011 | 39.62 billion million ton-km | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 39.11 billion million ton-km | -1.3% |
| 2013 | 37.11 billion million ton-km | -5.1% |
| 2014 | 38.23 billion million ton-km | +3.0% |
| 2015 | 37.87 billion million ton-km | -0.9% |
| 2016 | 38.66 billion million ton-km | +2.1% |
| 2017 | 41.59 billion million ton-km | +7.6% |
| 2018 | 42.99 billion million ton-km | +3.4% |
| 2019 | 42.50 billion million ton-km | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 40.79 billion million ton-km | -4.0% |
| 2021 | 46.00 billion million ton-km | +12.8% |
| 2022 | 45.97 billion million ton-km | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 42.76 billion million ton-km | -7.0% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 42.76 billion million ton-km is above the median for high income countries, which is 266.33 million million ton-km, 160.6× the median. (62 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 7.07 billion million ton-km | 5.15 billion million ton-km | 8.66 billion million ton-km | 10 |
| 1980s | 10.59 billion million ton-km | 8.30 billion million ton-km | 14.65 billion million ton-km | 10 |
| 1990s | 20.02 billion million ton-km | 14.49 billion million ton-km | 27.29 billion million ton-km | 10 |
| 2000s | 35.16 billion million ton-km | 27.92 billion million ton-km | 40.62 billion million ton-km | 10 |
| 2010s | 39.70 billion million ton-km | 37.11 billion million ton-km | 42.99 billion million ton-km | 10 |
| 2020s | 43.88 billion million ton-km | 40.79 billion million ton-km | 46.00 billion million ton-km | 4 |
Countries ranked near United States
More reference data data for United States
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 19.34 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 24.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 119.42 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 20.7 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 119.42 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 64.85 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 52.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 133.45 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 589.96 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 112.69 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is tonne-kilometers of air freight in United States?
- Tonne-kilometers of air freight in United States was 42.76 billion million ton-km in 2023, according to International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest tonne-kilometers of air freight recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 46.00 billion million ton-km in 2021.
- What is the lowest tonne-kilometers of air freight recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.15 billion million ton-km in 1970.
- How does United States rank for tonne-kilometers of air freight?
- United States ranks 1st out of 180 countries with data for 2023.
- Is tonne-kilometers of air freight rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Tonne-kilometers of air freight. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 54 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Air freight is the volume of freight, express, and diplomatic bags carried on each flight stage (operation of an aircraft from takeoff to its next landing), measured in metric tonnes times kilometers traveled.