Air Freight
Air freight is the Logisticoo solution when intercontinental distance meets a tight deadline: shipments reach North America, Asia or the Middle East in one to five days instead of several weeks by sea freight. We organise the entire chain — pre-carriage by truck from 147 German cities to the cargo airports (Frankfurt as Germany's largest air-freight hub, alongside Leipzig, Cologne/Bonn and Munich among others), booking the route, air-freight-compliant and correctly dimensioned packaging, export declaration and customs clearance at destination, on-carriage to the consignee's door. Pricing is based on the ratio of weight to volume (volumetric weight, the 1:6 rule at 167 kg per cubic metre) — which is why your personal dispatcher also optimises the packaging for chargeable dimensions. Note: air freight is subject to the strict dangerous-goods rules of the IATA DGR, which are tighter than the ADR on the road; lithium batteries, aerosols or magnets require special checking. Depending on urgency, we choose between standard, express and charter options. You receive the fixed-price quote including all incidental costs in 30 minutes — with no hidden surcharges at invoicing.
Service features
- Door-to-door organisation: truck pre-carriage, flight booking, customs, on-carriage in the destination country
- Transit times of 1–5 days intercontinental, depending on destination and service level
- Departure from Frankfurt and other German cargo hubs (Leipzig, Cologne/Bonn, Munich)
- Pricing by volumetric weight (167 kg/m³) with packaging optimisation
- Dangerous-goods checking per IATA DGR, incl. lithium-battery regulations
- Export declaration and customs clearance by our own department
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When air freight is the right choice
Air freight pays off when time is decisive and the distance is intercontinental. Typical cases are urgent spare parts for a machine standing idle overseas, perishable or short-lived goods (fresh products, samples with a narrow market window), high-value and theft-sensitive goods with low volume, as well as shipments whose sea-freight slot has fallen through. The rule of thumb: the higher the value of goods per kilogram and the tighter the deadline, the more air freight makes sense. For large-volume, heavy and non-time-critical goods, by contrast, sea freight is many times cheaper. Within Europe, the truck generally beats air freight — there, a direct transport is both faster over the whole chain and cheaper.
Process, volumetric weight and service levels
We organise door to door: truck pre-carriage from 147 cities to the cargo hub (Frankfurt, Leipzig, Cologne/Bonn, Munich), air-freight-compliant packaging, flight booking, export declaration, customs clearance at destination and on-carriage to the consignee's door. The price is based on the higher of actual and volumetric weight: the volumetric weight is calculated from the shipment volume at 167 kg per cubic metre (the 1:6 rule). Light, bulky goods therefore pay by volume — which is why we optimise the packaging to chargeable, dense dimensions. Depending on urgency, you choose the service level: Standard (consolidated, cheapest airfare), Express (next available direct flight, prioritised) or Charter for very large, heavy or extremely urgent shipments. We show both figures — actual and volumetric weight — openly in the quote.
Air freight, sea freight and road — the distinction
The three modes of transport differ above all in time and cost. Air freight is the fastest (intercontinental 1–5 days) but the most expensive and quantity-limited — ideal for urgent, high-value, small-volume goods. Sea freight is the cheapest for large volumes and heavy goods but, depending on the destination, needs 2–6 weeks of pure sea transit plus pre- and on-carriage — the choice for plannable, non-time-critical bulk goods. Road dominates within Europe: faster and cheaper than any flight over continental distances. Dangerous-goods law also separates them: on the road the comparatively mild ADR applies, in the air the strict IATA DGR, at sea the IMDG Code. For overseas shipments we tailor the mode of transport, deadline and budget individually.
What does air freight cost?
The airfare is charged per kilogram of chargeable weight (the higher of actual and volumetric weight) and is heavily dependent on distance and trade lane; on top of this come pre-carriage, handling at the airport, export and import customs clearance, and on-carriage in the destination country. Unlike road transport, there is no per-kilometre rule of thumb here — but we calculate the truck pre-carriage to the hub at the usual rates (e.g. Sprinter van ~€1.10/km). Order-of-magnitude example: a 150 kg shipment (actual) with 0.8 m³ Frankfurt–New York is charged on the higher value — here 150 kg actual against 134 kg volumetric, so 150 kg. We bundle all items into a fixed price with no subsequent surcharges and show every component openly — in 30 minutes.
Modes of transport compared (intercontinental)
| Mode of transport | Transit time | Cost level | Ideal for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air freight Express | 1–3 days | very high | urgent, high-value small shipment |
| Air freight Standard | 3–5 days | high | time-bound goods of medium value |
| Sea freight LCL | 4–6 weeks + pre-/on-carriage | low | smaller volumes, not time-critical |
| Sea freight FCL | 2–6 weeks + pre-/on-carriage | very low per m³ | large volumes, full containers |
| Road (intra-European) | 1–3 days | medium | continental lanes |
Frequently asked questions
How is the air-freight price calculated — by weight or volume?
By the higher of the two: the actual weight is compared with the volumetric weight, which is calculated from the shipment volume at 167 kg per cubic metre. Light, bulky goods therefore pay by volume. We optimise the packaging accordingly and show both figures in the fixed-price quote.
May products with lithium batteries be shipped by air freight?
Yes, but under the strict IATA DGR requirements: depending on the design (in equipment, with equipment, loose), limits apply to watt-hours, state of charge and packaging; loose lithium-ion cells are prohibited on passenger aircraft. Tell us the battery type and watt-hours — we check the permissible option before booking.
How quickly is an air-freight shipment at its destination?
Intercontinental usually 1 to 5 days, depending on destination and service level: Express uses the next available direct flight, Standard runs consolidated somewhat cheaper and slower. On top of this come pre-carriage to the hub, handling and customs clearance. We plan binding deadlines backwards from the desired arrival date including the flight cut-off.
Do you also handle export and import customs?
Yes, the export declaration is handled by our own customs department, and we organise import customs clearance in the destination country through local partners. You receive seamless door-to-door handling: pre-carriage, flight, customs on both sides and on-carriage to the consignee's door — without you having to deal with individual interfaces.
What does air freight cost?
The airfare is charged per kilogram of chargeable weight (the higher of actual and volumetric) and is heavily dependent on distance and trade lane; added to this are pre-carriage, handling and customs. There is no per-kilometre rule of thumb here — we calculate the truck pre-carriage at the usual rates. We bundle everything into a fixed price with no hidden surcharges and show every item openly, in 30 minutes.