What is Air Freight?

There are several differences between shipping items with an Air freight company and shipping with an LTL carrier. As you may guess, the main difference is the mode of transportation that is used to move product from the origin point to the final destination. LTL carriers use a network of trucks consolidating freight along the way through their break bulk points before the product is finally delivered. Air carriers use a group of local trucks to pick up and deliver the freight, but utilize a network of airlines (both commercial and cargo) to do the bulk of the freights movement. By comparing the basic transportation difference, you can probably also determine the next main difference in shipping with an LTL carrier vs. shipping through an Air carrier; that would be transit time.

Air carriers can also offer something the LTL carriers cannot, which is next day or 2nd day services from any origin point in the US to any US destination point. Due to the way LTL carriers network their equipment, it would be very difficult for an LTL carrier to provide next day or 2ND day services for shipments moving over 500 miles. Also, air carriers can provide guaranteed delivery dates for next day and 2nd day shipments. This is a very good service that fits a customer's need to get product to the final destination quickly and on time. This type of service does introduce us to the third main difference in shipping LTL vs. air and that is price.

Air carriers will provide very quick transit times and can easily guarantee delivery dates, but in comparison to the cost of shipping a product LTL, shipping via air freight can be very expensive. This type of service is not something a customer will use on a regular basis but can be very helpful in a time of need.

One other difference between LTL freight and air freight is how a customer's price is calculated. LTL carriers take into account the origin and destination zip codes, the products total weight and freight class. Air carriers calculate rates based on the origin zip code, destination zip code, and the products total weight and dimensions. Freight class is not used to calculate air freight. Air freight rate shipments based on a per pound rate based on the greater of either the shipments actual weight or the dimensional weight.

To calculate a products dimensional weight, you will multiply the shipments length, width and height (in inches) and then divide the total by 194. You then would compare that number against the shipments actual weight. The greater amount of the two is what you would use to calculate the total cost.

Dimensional weight example: A customer has a shipment that weighs 1000 lbs and is 48" long X 58" wide X 72" high. To find out which is greater, the dimensional weight or the actual weight, you would use the below equation:

(L) 48 * (W) 58 * (H) 72 = 200,488

200,488/194 = 1033 dim weight

In this example, the product's dimensional weight is greater than the products actual weight. One thing that LTL carriers and Air carriers have in common is the fact that they are renting out container space on the vehicle they are moving the product with. If a product has a dimensional weight that is greater than the actual weight, the carrier must be able to make up for potential lost revenue.

Air freight