Freight - Air freight

Overall air cargo tonnage shipped at Washington airports decreased 5.2% to 2.0 million tons of cargo (plane plus cargo weight) in 2022 from 2.1 million tons in 2021. Much of this decrease was attributed to the 6.0% decrease in cargo shipped through Seattle-Tacoma (Sea-Tac) Airport between 2021 and 2022.

In 2022, Sea-Tac continued to handle the bulk of air cargo in the state, with 68.9% of the statewide total, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Sea-Tac Airport also provides daily, non-stop service to 92 domestic and 28 international destinations. According to the Port of Seattle, Sea-Tac handled approximately 456,289 metric tons of total cargo (not including plane weight) in 2022—an decrease of 8.5% from 498,741 in 2021. (Note, due to the different standards of measurement—cargo weight alone rather than cargo and plane weight, these figures differ from those in the statewide tonnage reported above).

Paine Field experienced a significant reduction in Air cargo tonnage from 21,402 tons in 2021 to 14,377 in 2022.

Overall air cargo tonnage shipped at Washington airports increased 2.6% to 2.1 million tons of cargo (plane plus cargo weight) in 2021 from 2.05 million tons in 2020. Much of this increase was attributed to the 7.5% increase in cargo shipped through Seattle-Tacoma (Sea-Tac) Airport between 2020 and 2021.

In 2021, Sea-Tac continued to handle the bulk of air cargo in the state, with 69.5% of the statewide total, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Sea-Tac Airport also provides daily, non-stop service to 91 domestic and 27 international destinations. According to the Port of Seattle, Sea-Tac handled approximately 498,741 metric tons of total cargo (not including plane weight) in 2021—an increase of 9.7% from 454,584 in 2020. (Note, due to the different standards of measurement—cargo weight alone rather than cargo and plane weight, these figures differ from those in the statewide tonnage reported above). FedEx was the top cargo carrier out of Sea-Tac in 2021, accounting for 28.9% of all cargo tonnage.

Paine Field experienced a significant reduction in Air cargo tonnage.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and a slow economy, overall air cargo shipping at Washington airports increased 2.9% to 2.05 million tons of cargo (plane plus cargo weight) in 2020 from 1.98 million tons in 2019. Much of this increase can be attributed to the 9.5% increase in cargo shipped through Seattle-Tacoma (Sea-Tac) Airport between 2019 and 2020.

In 2020, Sea-Tac continued to handle the bulk of all air cargo in the state, with 62.4% of the statewide total according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Sea-Tac Airport also provides daily, non-stop service to 91 domestic and 27 international destinations. According to the Port of Seattle, Sea-Tac handled approximately 454,584 metric tons of total cargo (not including plane weight) in 2020—an increase of 0.2% from 453,549 in 2019. (Note, due to the different standard of measurement—cargo weight alone rather than cargo and plane weight, these figures differ from those in the statewide tonnage reported above). FedEx was the top cargo carrier out of Sea-Tac in 2020, accounting for 36.8% of all cargo tonnage.

Paine Field experienced significant reduction in Air cargo tonnage.

In 2019, Washington airports handled 1.98 million tons of cargo (plane plus cargo weight), continuing an upward trend that began in 2013. In 2019, the most recent year for which data is available, air cargo tonnage grew by 1.9% from 1.95 million tons in 2018. Much of this increase can be attributed to the 21.3% increase in cargo shipped through Paine Field between 2018 and 2019.

In 2019, Seattle-Tacoma (Sea-Tac) continued to handle the bulk of all air cargo in the state, with 66.2% of the statewide total according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Sea-Tac Airport also provides daily, non-stop service to 91 domestic and 27 international destinations. According to the Port of Seattle, Sea-Tac handled approximately 453,549 metric tons of total cargo (not including plane weight) in 2019—an increase of 4.9% from 432,315 in 2018. (Note, due to the different standard of measurement—cargo weight alone rather than cargo and plane weight, these figures differ from those in the statewide tonnage reported above). FedEx was the top cargo carrier out of Sea-Tac in 2019, accounting for 30.5% of all cargo tonnage.

In 2018, Washington airports handled 1.95 million tons of cargo (plane plus cargo weight), continuing an upward trend that began in 2013. In 2018, the most recent year for which data is available, air cargo tonnage grew by 3.6% from 1.88 million tons in 2017. Much of this increase can be attributed to the 6.5% increase in cargo shipped through Seattle‑Tacoma (Sea-Tac) International Airport between 2017 and 2018.

In 2018, Seattle-Tacoma (Sea-Tac) continued to handle the bulk of all air cargo in the state, with 63.2% of the statewide total according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Sea-Tac Airport also provides daily, non-stop service to 91 domestic and 27 international destinations. According to the Port of Seattle, Sea-Tac handled approximately 432,315 metric tons of total cargo (not including plane weight) in 2018—an increase of 1.5% from 425,856 in 2017. (Note, due to the different standard of measurement—cargo weight alone rather than cargo and plane weight, these figures differ from those in the statewide tonnage reported above).