The most reliable air freight forwarder, powered by AI

Flexport Air Freight is a full-service air freight forwarding solution that manages the end-to-end movement of cargo via air — from origin pickup and export customs clearance through flight booking, in-transit tracking, import clearance, and final delivery. Unlike traditional forwarders that rely on manual coordination, Flexport's air freight service runs on an AI-native operations platform that automates routing, planning, and exception management. Shippers get real-time visibility into their cargo at every milestone, plus access to analytics and reporting tools to manage costs and performance. Flexport handles both standard air cargo and time-critical shipments, with charter options available for dedicated capacity needs.

Flexport offers five air freight service types to match different shipping needs:

• Standard air freight: Scheduled commercial capacity for time-sensitive cargo that doesn't require the fastest possible transit
• Express or expedited air freight: Priority routing for urgent shipments with tighter delivery windows
• Charter air freight: Dedicated aircraft capacity, primarily from Asia, for shippers who need guaranteed space and maximum reliability
• Dangerous goods (DG) shipping: Certified handling for hazardous materials with full compliance support
• High-security cargo: Shipment-level GPS tracking, in-person escorts, and geofencing for high-value goods

All service types are managed through the Flexport Platform, giving shippers unified visibility and control regardless of which service they use.

Flexport provides real-time tracking at every stage of an air shipment — from the moment cargo leaves the origin facility through customs clearance, flight departures and arrivals, and final delivery. The Flexport Platform digitizes all shipment documents and structures the data so teams can search, report, and act on it without chasing emails or spreadsheets. When exceptions occur, like a delayed flight or a customs hold, the platform flags them immediately with full context, so shippers and their Flexport operations team can course-correct before the issue compounds. Landed cost reporting and mode comparison tools are also built in, so teams can evaluate air against ocean and make informed tradeoff decisions down to the SKU level.

Flexport Air Freight serves industries where speed, reliability, or cargo sensitivity are priorities, including:

• Retail and ecommerce: Replenishing fast-moving inventory, hitting seasonal deadlines, or responding to unexpected demand spikes
• Consumer electronics: Moving high-value, time-sensitive components and finished goods, particularly on Asia-US trade lanes
• Apparel and fashion: Meeting tight launch windows and minimizing markdowns from late arrivals
• Pharmaceuticals and life sciences: Temperature-sensitive or compliance-critical shipments requiring certified handling
• Automotive and industrial: Urgent parts shipments to prevent production line stoppages
• Humanitarian and NGO: Emergency cargo requiring speed, reliability, and chain-of-custody documentation

Flexport's platform scales to fit companies shipping a few critical loads per month as well as high-volume shippers moving cargo across multiple trade lanes simultaneously.

Air freight typically costs 4–6x more per kilogram than ocean freight. The exact rate depends on chargeable weight (the greater of actual weight and volumetric weight), origin and destination, service type, fuel surcharges, and any applicable customs or handling fees — but for time-sensitive or high-value cargo, the speed premium often offsets inventory carrying costs, stockout risk, or markdown exposure.

Flexport makes it easy to calculate true landed costs — including duties, taxes, and last-mile fees — so shippers can compare air against ocean on a total-cost basis, not just the freight rate. To get a rate for your specific lanes and cargo, contact us today and someone from our team will reach out shortly.