Schiphol sees strong increase in cargo throughput despite Iran war

Freight volumes continue to grow

Schiphol achieved strong growth in air cargo traffic in April. According to recently published transport figures, cargo throughput increased by more than 11% compared to the same period last year, to nearly 130,000 tons. The number of cargo flights also increased significantly, rising 13% to 1,377 flight movements.

The figures show that the current tensions and conflict in the Middle East have not, as yet, had a negative impact on cargo flows through the Dutch airport. On the contrary, both import and export volumes show clear growth.

Strong growth from Far East and Middle East

On the import side, cargo volume increased 12% to nearly 67,000 tons. The largest contribution came from the Far East, where inbound cargo flows increased by 20%. The Middle East also continued to perform positively, with a 9% increase in inbound cargo volumes.

These developments underscore the continued demand for air cargo capacity on key trade corridors between Europe and Asia.
Export volumes show sharp increase

Export flows through Schiphol also developed strongly. Outbound cargo to the Middle East grew by over 20%, while exports to Africa increased by as much as 60%.

In addition, the Far East remained an important growth market, with a 25% increase in outbound cargo volumes. The figures point to a broad-based recovery in international trade flows and increasing demand for fast logistics connections.

Positive development in first four months of the year

Over the first four months of 2026, Schiphol handled a total of nearly 490,000 tons of cargo. This puts the volume 6.5% higher than in the same period last year. The number of cargo flights increased by about 7% to 5,375 flight movements during the same period.

The growth figures are a striking contrast to 2025, when both the number of cargo flights and total cargo throughput actually declined.
Freight aircraft remain main carrier

Despite the growth of belly cargo in passenger aircraft, full freighters remain the mainstay of cargo transport at Schiphol Airport. Of the total cargo volume of 1.42 million tons in 2025, over 800,000 tons were transported by cargo aircraft.

The remaining 626,500 tons were handled via belly capacity in passenger flights. Thus, a strong balance between the two forms of transport remains essential to Schiphol's competitive position as an international air cargo hub.

Implications for logistics and supply chains

The continued growth in air cargo volumes at Schiphol offers shippers and logistics service providers more opportunities to efficiently organize international supply chains. At the same time, the market remains sensitive to geopolitical developments, changes in capacity, and fluctuations in transportation costs.

For companies dependent on air cargo, it therefore remains important to closely monitor developments in capacity, routes and rates.

Targeted support by Neele-Vat

Neele-Vat continuously monitors developments within the international air cargo market. Current insights into capacity, market developments and transit times enable customers to respond to changes within their logistics chain in a timely manner.

Specifically, Neele-Vat supports by:
- providing insight into available air cargo capacity and market developments;
- advising alternative routes and carriers in case of disruptions;
- strategically planning transport flows based on capacity and delivery times;
- developing multimodal solutions when speed, cost and reliability demand it.

This proactive approach allows customers to take full advantage of available capacity while mitigating risks within their supply chain.
Want to know what the current developments at Schiphol mean for your logistics processes? Get in touch with your contact at Neele-Vat for up-to-date and practical advice.