Italy Air Freight Market Size & Trends Forecast 2025-2033

Italy Air Freight Market Overview

Market Size in 2024: USD 7.35 Billion

Market Size in 2033: USD 12.10 Billion

Market Growth Rate 2025-2033: 5.12%

According to IMARC Group's latest research publication, "Italy Air Freight Market: Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2025-2033", The Italy air freight market size was valued at USD 7.35 Billion in 2024. Looking forward, IMARC Group estimates the market to reach USD 12.10 Billion by 2033, exhibiting a CAGR of 5.12% during 2025-2033.

How AI is Reshaping the Future of Italy Air Freight Market

• Streamlining Cargo Operations: Italian airports are deploying AI-driven tracking systems alongside IoT sensors to monitor containers and pallets in real time, cutting customs clearance delays and boosting supply-chain visibility across Europe, Asia, and North America.

• Optimizing Route Planning: Airlines and freight forwarders now rely on AI-powered predictive analytics to select fuel-efficient flight paths and avoid congestion, trimming delivery windows and slashing operational expenses while responding faster to customer demands.

• Enhancing Cold Chain Reliability: Pharmaceutical shippers leverage AI algorithms that analyze temperature data across transit points, preventing spoilage of high-value biologics and ensuring compliance with stringent regulations governing Italy's expanding cold logistics sector.

• Automating Warehouse Workflows: Milan Malpensa and Rome Fiumicino are integrating AI-enabled sortation systems that raised processing capacity by 30%, accelerating throughput for express parcels and reducing labor costs in an industry facing persistent driver shortages.

• Enabling Digital Twin Simulations: Cargo hubs use AI-driven digital replicas of terminal layouts to test handling scenarios before committing infrastructure investment, minimizing downtime and preparing facilities to meet surging e-commerce volumes without service disruptions.

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Italy Air Freight Market Trends & Drivers:

Italy's air freight sector is riding a wave of strong cargo volume growth, driven by the country's rebounding export markets and strategic position in European trade corridors. During the first eight months of 2024, Italian airports processed roughly 825,000 tonnes of air cargo—an 18% jump from the same period in 2023. Milan Malpensa alone handles over 65% of the nation's air freight, moving 730,000 tonnes in 2024, while Rome Fiumicino, Venice, and Bologna add significant capacity. This surge reflects rising demand for pharmaceutical shipments and express parcels, with airports now expanding apron space and reinforcing freight terminals to accommodate heavier traffic. Swissport recently opened a 4,000-square-meter cargo warehouse at Malpensa, focusing on import handling and pre-customs clearance for express carriers. These infrastructure investments are preparing Italy to absorb even more volume as manufacturers and logistics firms prioritize faster transit times for high-value goods moving between Italy, the Americas, and Asian markets.

E-commerce and express delivery networks are reshaping Italy's air freight landscape, as online shopping habits push carriers to invest in speed and reliability. The country's courier and parcel market saw parcels under two kilograms capture over 65% of total volumes in 2024, mirroring the boom in fashion accessories, beauty products, and electronics sold through digital platforms. Express operators like DHL, UPS, and Poste Italiane are upgrading sortation hubs with AI-enabled systems that expand processing capacity by 30%, while locker networks and pickup-point estates—GLS Italy acquired over 6,000 locations from ProntoPacco in late 2024—improve last-mile convenience. Air freight for express shipments is growing faster than traditional cargo, with freighter capacity at Malpensa under pressure as luxury brands and pharmaceutical exporters demand 24-hour European reach. This e-commerce wave is also fueling cross-border parcel flows, driving carriers to secure dedicated freighter slots and lean on digital tracking platforms that give customers real-time shipment visibility from warehouse to doorstep.

Pharmaceutical and cold chain logistics are becoming major growth engines for Italy's air freight market, with temperature-controlled shipments accounting for a rising share of total cargo. The European pharmaceutical cold chain logistics market reached roughly USD 19.4 billion in 2024, and Italy stands as a key node due to its robust healthcare sector and proximity to major pharmaceutical production sites. About 80% of pharma cargo now moves between 15°C and 25°C, and carriers are upgrading cold storage facilities to handle biologics that can be worth over one million euros per pallet. In 2024, Milan and Rome saw surging demand for express pharmaceutical deliveries, prompting freight handlers to deploy IoT sensors that flag temperature excursions before spoilage occurs. Government regulations introduced in 2023 mandate strict temperature controls for pharma transport, pushing logistics providers to invest in specialized refrigerated containers and monitoring systems. This trend extends beyond medicine—high-value perishables like Italian gourmet foods and flowers also rely on air freight's speed and precision, making cold chain capabilities a competitive differentiator for airports and cargo operators seeking premium business.

Green logistics initiatives are reshaping Italy's air freight infrastructure as airports and carriers respond to EU climate objectives and customer demand for sustainable transport. In January 2025, Rome Fiumicino launched a 22-megawatt solar farm along its runways—Europe's largest on-airport photovoltaic installation—designed to offset over 11,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions each year and support future carbon-neutral operations. Milan Malpensa is planning similar projects, including solar panel deployments and electric cargo vehicles to cut site emissions, while carriers experiment with sustainable aviation fuels on select freighter routes. These eco-friendly investments appeal to freight customers with ambitious sustainability targets, particularly fashion and pharmaceutical brands that publish detailed carbon footprint reports. The alignment with broader EU low-carbon logistics corridors positions Italy as a leader in green air transport, giving the country a competitive edge as shippers increasingly factor environmental performance into carrier selection. By embedding renewable energy and emission-reduction technology into cargo operations, Italian airports are turning sustainability from a regulatory requirement into a market advantage that attracts forward-thinking logistics partners.

Italy Air Freight Industry Segmentation:

The report has segmented the market into the following categories:

Service Insights:

• Freight

• Express

• Mail

• Others

Destination Insights:

• Domestic

• International

End User Insights:

• Private

• Commercial

Breakup by Region:

• Northwest

• Northeast

• Central

• South

• Others

Competitive Landscape:

The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined along with the profiles of the key players.

Recent News and Developments in Italy Air Freight Market

• June 2025: Swissport launched cargo operations at Milan Malpensa Airport with a new 4,000-square-meter warehouse inside the WTC Malpensa complex, initially focusing on import handling and pre-customs clearance for express delivery providers before expanding to export and general cargo services.

• January 2025: Rome Fiumicino unveiled a 22-megawatt solar farm along its runways—Europe's largest on-airport photovoltaic installation—designed to offset over 11,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually and advance the airport's carbon-neutral operations roadmap.

• January 2025: Poste Italiane completed AI-enabled sortation upgrades across its network that expanded processing capacity by 30% and trimmed unit handling costs, strengthening the company's ability to manage surging e-commerce parcel volumes throughout Italy.

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Italy Air Freight Market