Airport Ground and Cargo Handling Services Market Report 2026

The airport ground and cargo handling services market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $27.24 billion in 2025 to $29.6 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.7%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to growth in global air passenger traffic, expansion of international airports, rising air cargo volumes, increasing outsourcing of ground handling services, adoption of standardized ramp operations.

The airport ground and cargo handling services market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $40.99 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.5%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increasing investments in smart airport infrastructure, rising demand for low-emission ground services, expansion of air cargo hubs, growing focus on predictive maintenance systems, increasing use of autonomous ramp equipment. Major trends in the forecast period include increasing automation of ground handling operations, rising use of electric ground support equipment, growing integration of real-time operations monitoring, expansion of cargo handling digitalization, enhanced focus on turnaround time optimization.

The expansion of global trade is expected to drive the growth of the airport ground and cargo handling services market in the coming years. Global trade involves the exchange of goods, services, and capital across international borders. As global trade expands, the volume of goods transported across regions increases, leading to higher cargo throughput at airports and a greater need for efficient ground and cargo handling services. For example, in September 2023, according to a report published by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, a Switzerland-based intergovernmental organization, maritime trade was projected to grow by 2.4% in 2023 and by more than 2% annually from 2024 to 2028. Additionally, as pandemic-related restrictions eased, oil and gas trade volumes in the energy sector increased by 6% and 4.6%, respectively, in 2022. Therefore, the growth of global trade is contributing to the expansion of the airport ground and cargo handling services market.

Companies operating in the airport ground and cargo handling services market are increasingly adopting strategic partnerships to deploy hydrogen-powered ground support equipment at airports. Strategic partnerships enable organizations to combine expertise and resources to achieve shared goals and operational efficiencies. For instance, in October 2023, Universal Hydrogen, a US-based aerospace company, partnered with JBT AeroTech Corporation, a US-based supplier of aviation ground support equipment. The collaboration focuses on the development of the H2AmpCart™, a hydrogen fuel cell-powered mobile battery charger designed for existing electrified ground support equipment at airports. Universal Hydrogen contributes its modular hydrogen delivery technology, originally developed for hydrogen-powered aircraft and adapted for ground operations. The company also plans to provide hydrogen fuel services to H2AmpCart™ users globally, removing the need for additional on-airport hydrogen infrastructure.

In July 2025, Swissport International Ltd., a Switzerland-based provider of airport ground services and air cargo handling solutions, acquired Airport Services Company Limited for an undisclosed amount. Through this acquisition, Swissport aims to strengthen and expand its ground handling and cargo operations at major London airports, thereby enhancing its operational capacity and market presence in a key geographic region. Airport Services Company Limited is a UK-based aviation services provider specializing in customized ground handling and cargo handling services at London Heathrow and Gatwick airports.

Major companies operating in the airport ground and cargo handling services market are Aviapartner N.V., Swissport International AG, Worldwide Flight Services Inc., Alvest Group Company Limited, Mallaghan Engineering Limited, MULAG Fahrzeugwerk GmbH & Co. KG, Weihai Guangtai Airport Equipment Co. Ltd., JBT AeroTech Corporation, Fraport AG Frankfurt Airport Services Worldwide, Airport Associates, John Bean Technologies Corporation, ADELTE Group SL, Cavotec SA, Vestergaard Company A/S, Cargotec Corporation, Dubai National Air Transport Association, Havas Ground Handling Company, AeroGround Flughafen München GmbH, Aeroporti di Roma S.p.A., Air France-KLM, Air India SATS Airport Services Private Limited, Air Serv Corporation, Alliance Ground International, Flightcare Global, Goldair Handling, Thai Airways International Public Company Limited, Transworld Aviation Limited, Turkish Ground Services A.Ş., United Ground Express Inc., Universal Aviation Aircraft Services Inc.

North America was the largest region in the airport ground and cargo handling services market share in 2025. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the airport ground and cargo handling services market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the airport ground and cargo handling services market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

The airport ground and cargo handling services market includes revenues earned by entities providing refueling aircraft services, towing aircraft, cleaning, marshalling and parking. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. Only goods and services traded between entities or sold to end consumers are included.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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