air freight
Air Freight Forwarding
When Air Freight Makes Sense
When transit time matters more than cost per kilogram, air freight is the answer. As your freight forwarder for air cargo, we book and manage shipments through OR Tambo, Cape Town International, and King Shaka, coordinating with airlines to get time-sensitive shipments moving fast.
What's Included in Our Air Freight Service
Airline rate negotiation and space booking, including priority and express services for genuinely urgent shipments; airway bill preparation and full export/import documentation; cargo insurance for high-value shipments; coordination with customs clearing agents for fast release on arrival; and door-to-door delivery options that extend beyond the airport itself.
Documentation You'll Need
Airline rate negotiation and space booking, including priority and express services for genuinely urgent shipments; airway bill preparation and full export/import documentation; cargo insurance for high-value shipments; coordination with customs clearing agents for fast release on arrival; and door-to-door delivery options that extend beyond the airport itself.
Air freight vs Sea Freight : Making the Right Call
Air freight typically costs significantly more per kilogram than sea freight but cuts transit time from weeks to days. For lower-value bulk cargo, sea freight almost always wins on total cost. For urgent or high-value shipments, the speed premium pays for itself. As your freight forwarder, we'll tell you honestly which mode fits your shipment rather than defaulting to whichever earns a bigger margin.
When a Blended Air-Sea Solution Makes Sense
For some shipments, splitting cargo between an urgent air freight portion and a bulk sea freight portion gets the critical stock moving fast while keeping the bulk of the shipment cost-efficient — a solution most single-mode carriers won't offer, but a freight forwarder can arrange.
Planning Your Air Freight Shipment
Air freight capacity fluctuates with demand more sharply than sea freight, particularly around peak seasons and on routes with limited direct flights. Booking early gives your freight forwarder room to negotiate better rates and secure space on the most direct routing available, rather than being forced onto a slower, more expensive option because capacity has already tightened.
Understanding Chargeable Weight
Air freight is priced on chargeable weight — the greater of actual weight or volumetric weight — which catches many first-time shippers off guard when a light but bulky shipment costs more than expected. We calculate this upfront so your air freight forwarding quote reflects the real cost, not a rough estimate based on weight alone.
Regular Air freight Forwarding
Businesses that ship air freight regularly gain more from a freight forwarder relationship than occasional shippers do — established freight forwarders can negotiate standing rates with airlines that reflect consistent volume, and can flag upcoming capacity constraints on your usual route before they affect your shipment. If air freight is a recurring part of how your business moves stock, that ongoing relationship compounds in value over time.
Coordinating Air freight Customs Clearance
An air freight shipment that clears customs slowly loses much of the time advantage air freight was chosen for in the first place. We coordinate directly with customs clearing agents so your air freight forwarding timeline accounts for clearance, not just the flight itself.
Need something moved fast?
Get an air freight quote with realistic transit times.