The AI gold rush has found an unlikely beneficiary: airlines. Not because tech executives are flying more (though they probably are), but because all those AI servers and chips need to get from Asian factories to data centers around the world. And they need to get there fast.
Korean Air, China Airlines, and EVA Airways all posted their highest cargo revenues in over three years during Q2 2026, riding a wave of demand that’s turning aircraft cargo holds into some of the most profitable real estate in logistics.
The numbers tell the story
Korean Air’s cargo revenue surged roughly 46% year-over-year in Q2 2026, hitting 1.54 trillion won.
Global air cargo demand grew 7% year-over-year in June 2026, with AI hardware and semiconductor shipments doing most of the heavy lifting.
