FAA projects air cargo to grow 4.5% in 2016

United States air carriers flew 35.9 billion revenue ton miles (RTMs) in 2015, a 2.2 percent increase from 2014.    United States air carriers flew 35.9 billion revenue ton miles (RTMs) in 2015, a 2.2 percent increase from 2014, according to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration’s FAA Aerospace Forecast for Fiscal Years 2016-2036.
   Domestic cargo RTMs totaled 13.1 billion in 2015, a 3.3 percent year-over-year increase. Meanwhile, international cargo RTMs reached 22.9 billion, a 1.6 percent increase from 2014, as growth in the Pacific region offset declines in other regions.
   Overall, the FAA projects total RTMs will grow 4.5 percent in 2016, driven by steady U.S. and world economic growth, while total RTMs are expected to inch up at an average annual rate of 3.5 percent for the next 20 years.