Cargo volumes at Heathrow Airport rose in February 2026, with the airport handling almost 130,000 tonnes of freight during the month, marking a 4 percent increase compared with the same period last year. The growth came despite fewer cargo-only flights, as more freight was carried in the belly hold of passenger aircraft, reinforcing Heathrow’s role as the UK’s most valuable port for trade.
Total cargo handled in February reached 128,710 metric tonnes, up 3.6 percent year on year. Cargo volumes between January and February 2026 stood at 253,239 tonnes, reflecting a 2.3 percent increase compared with the same period last year. Over the 12-month period from March 2025 to February 2026, Heathrow handled 1,598,553 tonnes of cargo, a rise of 1.3 percent.
Cargo traffic was led by North America, which handled 54,885 tonnes in February, up 1.6 percent from the previous year. Asia Pacific followed with 32,598 tonnes, recording a strong 7.8 percent increase, while the Middle East handled 21,138 tonnes, growing 12.2 percent year on year.
Africa recorded 7,370 tonnes of cargo in February, up 0.8 percent compared with last year. European Union markets handled 6,122 tonnes, a decline of 3.3 percent, while non-EU European markets recorded 2,384 tonnes, down 17.2 percent. Latin America handled 4,197 tonnes of cargo, representing an 8.4 percent drop compared with the same month last year.
Cargo volumes to and from the UK totalled 17 tonnes in February, reflecting a decline of 69.2 percent compared with the previous year.
