Why Urumqi is leading global air cargo growth in 2025

A recent dataset from Rotate, a cargo and capacity tracking platform, highlights Urumqi Diwopu International Airport (URC) as the world’s fastest-growing outbound cargo airport in 2025, with a staggering +715% increase in capacity compared to the same period last year.

Rotate’s analysis, which tracks freighter and widebody bellyhold capacity, places Urumqi well ahead of the next fastest-growing airport, Ezhou (EHU), itself a rising Chinese logistics hub.

While growth at inland Chinese airports was expected, the report also notes surprising jumps in outbound capacity at lesser-known hubs like Ashgabat (Turkmenistan) and Cape Verde.

But Why Urumqi?

The capital of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Urumqi, holds strategic value as a key node on the Silk Road Economic Belt. Its geographic position makes it an ideal launch point for cargo traffic between East Asia and Europe. This surge reflects a broader trend of China investing heavily in regional cargo infrastructure to boost cross-border trade.

“Urumqi is being positioned as a gateway for Western China / Xinjiang province, which the government is aiming to develop. Growth is primarily driven by new airlines (more so than existing carriers increasing capacity/frequency), with the vast majority of growth being towards Europe (possibly with another tech stop in Central Asia). This demand seems to be at least partly driven by e-commerce, but flights will certainly contain general cargo also,” says Tim van Leeuwen, Vice President and Head of Consulting at Rotate.

van Leeuwen also commented on the other two airports featured in the fastest-growing list, Ezhou and Ashgabat. Regarding Ezhou, he noted: “ SF Express' hub airport continues to grow at a rapid pace, through a combination of 1) SF Express serving new destinations and 2) growing partnerships between SF Express and other airlines (e.g., the SF Express-Etihad joint business agreement (JBA).”

On Ashgabat, he clarified that the surge in outbound capacity is not necessarily due to rising cargo demand at the airport itself: “Capacity growth is predominantly caused by carriers choosing Ashgabat as a new tech stop, preferring it over other tech stop options or over flying directly between Asia and Europe. As such, it is unlikely that air cargo traffic at the airport is increasing significantly; more likely it is just aircraft landing, refuelling, and departing again.”

According to Rotate data, a diverse mix of regional, Chinese, and international operators is ramping up capacity out of Urumqi. Key contributors include European Cargo, YTO Cargo Airlines, and MNG Airlines, all of which handled significant volumes between June 2024 and May 2025. Notably, Titan Airways, SF Airlines, and Volga-Dnepr also feature prominently. Other operators include China Southern, Uzbekistan Airways and Geo-Sky. Interestingly, a substantial portion of the total capacity also falls under the ‘Other’ category (which groups smaller carriers).

The top outbound destinations for Urumqi’s cargo flights from June 2024 to May 2025 were Tashkent (12,000 tonnes), Tbilisi (11,000 tonnes), and Istanbul (7000 tonnes), according to Rotate data. All three are served almost exclusively by freighter aircraft.

Tashkent-based cargo carrier My Freighter operates between six to ten freighter flights per week to Urumqi. Mamur Mamadaliev, First Deputy CEO and Chief Commercial Officer, My Freighter, highlighted the airport’s growing importance:

“While China’s coastal hubs manage higher overall cargo volumes, Urumqi stands out for its geographic advantage in serving Central Asia and its streamlined logistics processes. It is less congested, offers faster customs clearance, and provides a strategic balance point in our network between Chinese domestic destinations and international markets. These factors align well with our growth trajectory and long-term network planning. Urumqi supports cross-border trade and regional integration, especially along the Belt and Road corridors. For a growing cargo airline like ours, having a solid presence in Urumqi allows us to serve key markets across both East and West more effectively.”

Mamadaliev mentioned that My Freighter also operates to Ezhou, another emerging Chinese cargo hub. While the airline is not yet flying to Ashgabat, it is actively considering the city for future routes. He added that My Freighter plans to expand its fleet to between 30 and 50 aircraft by the end of 2026, with Central Asian cities like Ashgabat under active review as part of its network growth strategy.

Data from Rotate highlights newly opened or rapidly expanding cargo corridors from Urumqi to European hubs such as London Stansted and Bournemouth, each recording thousands of tonnes in outbound cargo despite having no comparable volumes in the previous year.

The outbound cargo surge at Urumqi is being supported by a versatile fleet of freighters, with Rotate data showing strong reliance on converted aircraft such as the Boeing 767-300ER, 757-200PCF, and A330-300P2F. These aircraft types accounted for the highest outbound volumes between June 2024 and May 2025. The data highlights a trend toward mid-size, fuel-efficient freighters, which are well-suited for Urumqi’s growing long-haul and regional cargo operations.