ACTK (Available Cargo Tonne-Kilometers)

What is ACTK?

ACTK (Available Cargo Tonne-Kilometers) is a key performance indicator used by IATA to measure the available cargo carrying capacity offered by airlines.

It represents the total cargo space available, calculated by multiplying the available cargo weight by the distance flown.

How is ACTK calculated?

Formula

ACTK = Available Cargo Capacity × Distance Flown

For example:

• Available cargo capacity: 20 tonnes

• Flight distance: 5,000 km

ACTK = 20 × 5,000 = 100,000 tonne-kilometers

Why is ACTK important?

ACTK helps airlines and logistics companies understand:

• Available air cargo capacity

• Fleet utilization

• Market supply

• Capacity trends over time

When ACTK increases, airlines are offering more cargo space to the market.

ACTK vs CTK

ACTK measures available capacity, while CTK (Cargo Tonne-Kilometers) measures the actual cargo transported.

Metric	Meaning
ACTK	Available cargo capacity
CTK	Actual cargo transported

The relationship between ACTK and CTK is used to calculate cargo load factor.

Related Formula

Cargo Load Factor (%)

Cargo Load Factor = CTK ÷ ACTK × 100

A higher load factor generally indicates better utilization of available cargo capacity.

Why ACTK matters to shippers

Changes in ACTK can affect:

• Freight rates

• Available cargo space

• Booking availability

• Airline capacity planning

• Global logistics performance

During peak seasons, ACTK growth may not keep pace with demand, resulting in higher freight costs.