International Air Freight Cargo Shipping Made Simple

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.

To ensure you get the most value out of your shipment, you must know the costs of air freight shipping. Air freight quotes will typically cover the following rates and charges: - **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

Air freight may be expensive, but the good news is that you can reduce your shipping costs by doing the following: - **Choose to ship with iContainers:** We help you find rates that give you value for your money and minimize the shipping cost. Through our platform, you can compare carrier quotes and choose the one that fits your budget. - **Package goods compactly:** Decrease the dimensions of your cargo to reduce volumetric weight and, ultimately, minimize shipping costs. - **Use iContainers’ compliance engine:** Our technology will help you complete documents accurately to reduce the risk of extra charges and delays in the shipping process.

iContainers offers traditional freight forwarding services but with the convenience of modern technology. We are a digital-first freight forwarder that allows you to easily manage your entire shipment from your device. This helps you ship with more efficiency and less complexity. Shipping by air with iContainers is simple. From requesting quotes, booking your shipment, or settling your payments to tracking your cargo and ensuring compliance with shipping requirements, you can get your goods to your destination with ease and confidence.

iContainers is a subsidiary of Agility Logistics, allowing us to access our parent company’s global logistics network. This enables us to provide reliable and competitive technology-oriented services to our customers. Every shipment managed by iContainers is backed by logistics efforts and a globally trusted freight network.