Did you know that over 35% of all trade is through air freight? Diving into the different types of shipping and transportation methods, air freight can be daunting due to its higher cost. Still, in reality, air freight is one of the preferred choices of many industries for the vast benefits it brings. 

Interior design, construction, automotive, and electronics are examples of industries that utilize air freight over other modes of transportation. Not to mention that over six trillion dollars worth of goods and materials are shipped around the globe through air freight. 

This article will cover the definition of air freight and what makes it so unique. 

What are air freight services?

Air freight is pretty straight forward. Air freight services, meaning any type of shipping or freight, that transports on an airplane is one of the most common shipping methods. 

Almost anything can be considered air freight, and most of the time, goods and materials are shipped using air freight for international transportation or if fast delivery is required. Air freight is the quickest form of shipping there is. 

Let’s take a look at the many benefits that air freight has to offer. 

Advantages of air freight

Let’s break down some of the benefits of choosing air freight. 

Speed

As mentioned, when speed is of concern, air freight is the way to go. It is much quicker and more reliable than any type of sea or land transportation. You are guaranteed a faster deal with air freight transportation. 

Global Flexibility

Flexibility is crucial when it comes to transportation for companies, and relying on land or sea freight can be unreliable. When using those two forms of shipping, you will have to utilize major transportation networks, which puts a greater risk of inefficiency and complexity than air freight. When using major transportation networks, it typically leaves out a lot of smaller countries around the world and limits your global reach. 

Using international air freight services opens more windows to different parts of the world and more accessible for customers. 

No More Warehouses

With faster delivery comes less inventory for businesses. Businesses won’t have to rely as much on local inventory for long periods of time because of the speed of air freight, allowing the air cargo to arrive and depart without much delay. 

This also plays an important role for businesses that rely on buyer trends and seasons.  Yet warehousing will play the important role with different kinds of freight.

Reliability

Using air freight gives you access to the international network of air transport, which provides a broad range of services and adds reliability to any shipment. 

The biggest service that air freight provides is GPS logistics and helps customers track where their packages are at all times. It also ensures that your shipments will arrive safely and securely. If you have sensitive or very fragile packages, air freight service will keep them safer than any other form of transportation. 

Cheaper Insurance Premiums

Although an advantage of sea freight is that it is cheaper than air freight, the insurance premiums on air freight are lower, on average. Since the cargo and shipments are in route for less time, there is a much lower risk of the packages being lost or stolen. 

More secure

There is also more reassurance for both the seller and the buyer when the package passes through fewer hands along with cheaper insurance premiums. 

Compared to other forms of shipment, air freight services have fewer stops and more security when it comes to tracking a package. As we all know, airport security is always on high alert, which means your cargo will be handled with greater care. 

More sustainable

When shipping through sea freight or land, companies have to use more packaging to ensure the cargo is not damaged from any drops or bumps along the road. 

Air freight is able to use less packaging, which isn’t only cost-effective, but more sustainable for the environment by avoiding the extra plastic. Less packaging also means a faster shipping process for the manufacturers. 

Consistency

As mentioned earlier, one of the biggest advantages to air freight is GPS tracking capabilities.

It is much easier to track the shipments and maintain the promised delivery time when you can see when it takes off, what flight the package is on, and when the package lands. This is something that is virtually impossible to do with sea or land freight as there aren’t any “checkpoints” in-between major hubs.

Custom fees can also be minimized with fewer stops. 

Regulatory Compliance

Air freight has a very straightforward administrative side, making it easier to secure all necessary documentation. Sea freight is different as there are multitudes of regulatory and legal fulfillments to follow that can add up in penalties and inconveniences. 

Cost-effective 

Of course, land and sea freight are the cheapest options right off the bat, but more often than not, the larger your shipment is, the more expensive the shipping cost will be. The shipments are more cost-effective with air freight companies, providing a better price for your cargo with a more “white glove” service approach. 

Many don’t think about the different savings you can pick up using air freight, like cheaper insurance premiums, avoidance of penalties from legal compliance issues, less packaging, and less inventory. 

If you add all of these little savings up, the cost difference between air freight and other forms of transportation won’t be as drastic. 

How to choose

Sea freight almost always wins when it comes to sustainability and reducing the ecological footprint in shipping. But when it comes to speedy delivery, a global scale, and consistency, air freight is the best approach for those time-sensitive or high-value products, like medication, for example. 

It can be tough to choose what shipping method is right for you. There are advantages and disadvantages to each form of transportation, but addressing your goals and what you are looking for will help you find the best transportation method for you!