“Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, Let Us Share the Benefits Too” … Semiconductor Boom Also Lifts the Airline Industry

사진 확대 Lee Myeong-gu, commissioner of the Korea Customs Service, center, visits the Korean Air cargo terminal at Incheon International Airport on January 1 as his first on-site schedule of the new year and inspects the customs clearance process for semiconductor export cargo. Not directly related to the article. [Provided by the Korea Customs Service]

As investment in artificial intelligence (AI) data centers rises, the types of cargo loaded into aircraft bellies are also changing. In a market once dominated by e-commerce goods, high-value information technology (IT) cargo such as semiconductors and AI servers is emerging as a new growth engine for the airline industry.

According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA) on the 1st, global air cargo demand in July rose 3.9% from a year earlier. Cargo demand from Asia to North America increased 9.2%, the highest growth rate among major routes. IATA said manufacturing activity and export orders are supporting air cargo demand, while freight volumes from Asia to North America remained strong.

Among the standout items are AI- and semiconductor-related shipments. According to an air cargo market analysis by SDS’s Cello Square, AI semiconductor volumes from South Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam continued to post double-digit growth in July, mainly on routes to the Americas. That contrasts with the same period, when e-commerce volumes to Europe weakened after the imposition of small-parcel tariffs.

Changes are also being seen on the supply side. Global air cargo capacity in July rose only 1.8% from a year earlier, while freighter capacity increased 6.3%. At the same time, capacity through passenger aircraft bellies fell 2.8%.

사진 확대 Lee Myeong-gu, commissioner of the Korea Customs Service, center, directly inspects export cargo loaded on KE0327, which departed on New Year’s Day, January 1. Not directly related to the article. [Provided by the Korea Customs Service]

This is seen as a sign that supply is being reorganized, with more dedicated freighters being deployed rather than passenger aircraft that move in line with passenger demand. In fact, IATA and others analyzed that freighter capacity on routes from Northeast Asia across the Pacific Ocean rose 16% from a year earlier.

Cargo for AI data centers differs from general consumer goods in transport characteristics. Semiconductors and server equipment are expensive, and they must be delivered exactly when needed to match data center construction schedules. Since shortening transit time is critical, the industry says air cargo demand is substantial. Cello Square also classifies high-value cargo such as semiconductors and AI servers as a major source of demand for air cargo from Asia to North America.

The trend is also reflected in the earnings of full-service carriers, which have a larger cargo business share than low-cost carriers. In the case of Korean Air, cargo revenue in the second quarter of this year, from April to June, reached 1.5419 trillion won, up 486.5 billion won from a year earlier. The increase was driven by stronger demand for transporting high-value semiconductors such as high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and DDR5, fueled by expanding global AI investment.

Industry observers say AI and semiconductors are emerging as new demand sources for the air cargo business, which had relied heavily on the e-commerce market. If cargo demand from major production hubs such as South Korea and Taiwan continues to flow to North American data centers, it is likely to affect the route strategies of major airlines and logistics companies, as well as their efforts to secure high-value cargo.

This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.