Air Freight
Air freight costs and international and express air freight rates per kg. Global importers and exporters use air cargo when they need to move goods around the world quickly and reliably. While 90% of imports and exports are shipped by ocean freight, air freight connects the world faster, cutting China-US freight shipping time from 20-30 days by ocean to only three days by air cargo. International air freight and express freight shipments are not the same things. Express air freight is typically handled by one company (such as DHL, UPS, or FedEx) that manages the entire shipment lifecycle and ships door-to-door in under five days. Express air freight shipments are usually smaller than air freight (less than one cubic meter and 200 kilograms).
International air freight shipments can be significantly larger and may move across multiple carriers during shipment. As a matter of fact, the largest cargo airplane, the Anatov 225, can hold an entire train. Pre-COVID-19, international air cargo rates typically ranged from approximately $2.50-$5.00 per kilogram, depending on the type of cargo and available space. Costs rose sharply in February 2020 when COVID-19 began a period of severe disruptions in ocean freight and consumer demand, with air cargo rates reaching a range of $4.00-$8.00 per kilogram. As of early 2023, rates have dropped to around $3.00-$7.00 per kilogram, which is still higher than pre-pandemic rates, likely due to increased fuel and labor costs.