Cargo carriers at Portland International Airport quietly pulled off a freight marathon in 2025, moving nearly a quarter billion pounds of freight and mail through PDX. Operators handled about 243.9 million pounds over the year, underscoring the airport’s role as a regional distribution hub even as total tonnage slipped slightly from 2024.
According to the Portland Business Journal, the figure was compiled from Port of Portland carrier data and covers 20 cargo airlines that together flew roughly 88,566 flights in 2025, about a 5% drop in cargo volume from 2024. The Business Journal’s data editor Brandon Sawyer assembled the ranked list behind the numbers.
Who Moved the Most Freight
Integrated express carriers dominated the tally, with UPS and FedEx among the largest single-carrier movers. Port of Portland carrier-level statistics show roughly 6.7 million pounds for UPS and about 6.4 million for FedEx in 2025, according to the Port of Portland. Those integrated and all-cargo operators together accounted for the lion’s share of the 20-carrier total.
Why It Matters to Local Business
Air cargo links Oregon manufacturers, perishable exporters and retailers to national and global markets, so changes in PDX’s freight flows can ripple through the local economy. The PDX 2045 existing-conditions report lays out how cargo activity supports jobs and distribution networks around the airport and flags infrastructure needs if volumes or carrier mixes shift. That context helps explain why a 5% year-over-year slip is notable even as the airport retains a strong cargo footprint…