International Air Freight Shipping Services (Air Cargo Forwarding)

Air forwarding is the process of organizing and coordinating the shipment of goods by air transportation. It is handled by air freight forwarders or logistics companies specializing in air freight service, liaising with airlines, customs, and other agents. Air forwarding includes the following tasks:

• Managing the movement of cargo from its origin to its destination


• Arranging the required documentation


• Handling customs clearance


• Handling transportation details to ensure efficient delivery

Air freight forwarding is used for time-sensitive or high-value items. This is because air freight has faster delivery times and stricter processes that can guarantee cargo security. Availing of an air freight forwarding service helps shippers ensure that goods are shipped promptly and securely.

Air freight rates are driven by chargeable weight, lane, service level, and capacity. Common add-ons include fuel, security, and handling fees. Your shipment’s dimensions often matter as much as its scale weight, so packaging efficiency can significantly change the quote. Seasonal demand, airport congestion, and limited space on specific routes can also impact price. If you need pickup and delivery, door-to-door usually costs more than airport-to-airport due to additional local services and handling steps.

Volumetric weight estimates how much space your shipment takes up on an aircraft. Even if your cargo is light, bulky dimensions can increase volumetric weight and push your billing weight higher. This is common with low-density goods like apparel, packaged retail products, and oversized cartons. To manage costs, optimize carton size, avoid excess void fill, and consolidate items efficiently. If your shipment has irregular packaging, measure accurately and keep dimensions consistent across documentation and labels.

Air freight is the fastest and most secure way to transport goods overseas. It reduces handling times with a quick shipping process that can be completed in a few days. Moreover, air freight can safeguard fragile and valuable items.

Because of this, it’s most commonly used to transport high-value, perishable, or time-sensitive goods. These might include electronics, luxury items, pharmaceuticals, medical supplies, manufacturing components, and perishable foods. Products that need to be maintained in specific conditions during the shipping process, such as temperature-sensitive goods, are also shipped by air.

Businesses typically work with air freight companies to ship small-to-medium-sized cargo. This is because shipments with lower weight and volume don’t yield shipping costs that are too high.

Air cargo freight forwarding is a relatively simple process. It starts with the shipper booking and preparing the shipment. This includes packaging the goods and preparing the required documentation.

When the goods are ready, the air freight forwarder arranges for them to be picked up. If needed, they will also handle consolidation. Afterward, the goods will be transported to the departure airport.

When the cargo arrives at the airport, it will undergo the customs clearance process and other airport-required procedures, such as security screening. Once cleared, the goods will be loaded onto an aircraft.

When the cargo arrives at the destination country, it is loaded and cleared through the country of destination’s customs. It is then transported to the final delivery address.

The air freight rate is the base transportation price for air cargo, typically driven by chargeable weight (the higher of actual vs volumetric weight). Rates are then adjusted by lane, capacity, seasonality, and common surcharges like fuel, security, and handling.

In addition to these factors, air freight rates can also change depending on seasonality, demand, and fuel prices. If you opt for express shipments over standard and expedited services, the shipment can cost more.

If you need a quote before shipping, freight forwarders can provide you with one to allow you to estimate your costs.

Air freight has many advantages over ocean freight. First is its speed. As the fastest mode of international shipping, air freight can get goods to their destination in a matter of days. This makes it ideal for shipping urgent or time-sensitive goods.

It’s also the most secure way to transport cargo. Strict airport protocols and processes are in place to minimize handling and reduce the risk of theft or damage. This is why shippers of high-value goods often opt for air freight.

Air freight provides shippers with access to a vast range of global networks. It can ship goods to any country or destination with an airport. It’s also highly reliable, boasting frequent flights and flexible shipping schedules, making it favorable for supply chains.

Air freight is generally more expensive than ocean freight because of higher demand, customs fees, and faster and more secure shipping. However, there are situations when air freight costs are negligible, such as when shipping small goods in small quantities.

Air freight is known to have stringent security measures, making it suitable for shipping low-volume, high-value goods. Because of its speed, air freight also minimizes opportunities for security to be compromised and lowers the risk of damage to the cargo.

Air freight is sought-after because of its quick transit times, able to get your cargo from point A to point B in only a couple of days. On top of that, it’s also quite flexible, allowing cargo to be loaded in both freighters and passenger aircraft.

However, air freight transit times can be affected by timeframes involved in loading and unloading, airport discharge, and customs processing.

An international air freight quote is an estimate of total air shipping cost, usually built from the base air rate (by chargeable weight) plus typical surcharges (fuel, security, handling) and optional services such as pickup/delivery, customs-related services, and cargo insurance.

• Base freight rate: The actual cost of shipping your goods based on volumetric weight


• Fuel surcharge: Compensates the carrier for fluctuating fuel costs


• Security fee: Cost of security screening for the cargo


• Terminal handling charges: Cost for handling and moving goods in the airport terminal


• Customs clearance fees: Included for goods for door-to-door shipping


• Cargo insurance fees: Payment to protect goods from loss or damage during transit


• Trucking fees: Cost to transport cargo to terminals, airports, and other destinations in door-to-door, door-to-airport, or airport-to-door shipping


• Container freight station fee: Cost of temporarily storing cargo in the airport

Airlines price many shipments using chargeable weight, which is the higher of actual scale weight and volumetric (dimensional) weight. This reflects aircraft constraints, since cargo consumes both weight capacity and physical space. If your cartons are large but light, volumetric weight can be higher than scale weight and drive the cost. Improving packaging efficiency can reduce chargeable weight and lower your rate. When comparing quotes, always confirm whether pricing is based on actual or chargeable weight.