Air freight: when it is worth paying the difference

Volumetric weight, the most common surprise

Airlines charge the greater of actual and volumetric weight, calculated from the dimensions of each piece. A light but bulky shipment pays for the space it occupies, not for what it weighs. That is why we always ask for measurements: without them, any rate is an estimate.

When air is cheaper than it looks

If your goods are high value, the cost of capital tied up during weeks of ocean transit can exceed the freight difference. The same applies when a single held part stops a production line, or when seasonal inventory loses value every week it is not on the shelf.

When it is not worth it

For bulky, low value per kilo cargo with no urgency, air rarely makes sense. Consolidated ocean freight is usually the sensible choice, even counting the extra transit time.

The middle option few consider

Sometimes the answer is not all or nothing: send the urgent part of the order by air and the rest by sea. It is a decision made order by order, and exactly the kind of thing worth discussing before booking space.