Germany: Air transport, freight (million ton-km)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2023, Germany's air transport, freight (million ton-km) fell 0.7% on 2022 (from 12,857 to 12,767).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1993 to 2022), the average change was +4.2% and a typical year strayed about 9.7% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.5 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 25.9% in 1973 and the biggest yearly fall was 26.5% in 2010. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2014 to 2023 the straight-line trend is upward, about 714.4 a year. A straight line explains 83% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2023, Germany had the 5th highest value of the 160 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Germany in the 2023 ranking

• China — 2nd of 160: 26,170
• Qatar — 3rd of 160: 13,927
• United Arab Emirates — 4th of 160: 13,566
• Korea, Rep. — 6th of 160: 12,294
• Hong Kong SAR, China — 7th of 160: 8,638
• Japan — 8th of 160: 8,474

What this measures

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 tons times kilometers traveled.

Limitations: While ICAO aviation data provide a globally standardized and comprehensive view of air transport activity, several limitations affect their accuracy and comparability. Data quality depends on the completeness and consistency of country reporting, which can vary due to differences in national statistical capacity, regulatory environments, and adherence to ICAO definitions. Some countries may not report all relevant data, leading ICAO to estimate missing values using historical submissions and published schedules, which can introduce uncertainty. Changes in airline registration, mergers, or operational practices may also affect the attribution of traffic statistics.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a sum.

All 54 values

Air transport, freight (million ton-km) in nearby economies

• Albania — 0 (2023)
• Armenia — 15.68 (2023)
• Austria — 207.84 (2023)
• Azerbaijan — 1,434 (2023)
• Belarus — 5.57 (2023)
• Belgium — 1,831 (2023)
• Bosnia and Herzegovina — 0 (2023)
• Bulgaria — 0.63 (2023)
• Croatia — 0.15 (2023)
• Cyprus — 0.37 (2023)
• Czechia

More infrastructure data for Germany

• Fixed telephone subscriptions — 38.4 million (2024)
• Fixed telephone subscriptions (per 100 people) — 45.42 (2024)
• Air transport, registered carrier departures worldwide — 655,842 (2023)
• Air transport, passengers carried — 80.2 million (2023)
• Mobile cellular subscriptions — 109.2 million (2024)
• Mobile cellular subscriptions (per 100 people) — 129.15 (2024)
• Patent applications, nonresidents — 19,177 (2024)
• Patent applications, residents — 40,085 (2024)
• ICT service exports (BoP, current US$) — US$59.44 billion (2025)
• ICT service exports (% of service exports, BoP)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
• Data analysis examples: 6 worked from one dataset — 3 min read
• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Germany's air transport, freight (million ton-km)?

12,767 in 2023, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1970?

It is up 2,535% from 484.5 in 1970 (6.37% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 12,857 in 2022 and the lowest 484.5 in 1970.

How does Germany rank?

5th highest of 160 economies with data for 2023.

Is the latest change in air transport, freight (million ton-km) unusual for Germany?

In 2023, Germany's air transport, freight (million ton-km) fell 0.7% on 2022 (from 12,857 to 12,767). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1993 to 2022), the average change was +4.2% and a typical year strayed about 9.7% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.5 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator IS.AIR.GOOD.MT.K1, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Civil Aviation Statistics of the World, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), uri: https://data.icao.int/newdataplus/#:~:text=ICAO%20data%20is%20comprised%20of,information%20about%20commercial%20air%20carriers; ICAO Staff estimates, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), uri:… Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

Want to ask your own questions of data like this? Try AnalyzeIt: upload a file or ask about public data in plain words, and every figure comes with its working.