Air freight
Air Freight Services
Fully managed international air freight for imports and exports — scheduled commercial flights and dedicated charters, from any origin to any destination, with documentation and clearance handled end to end.
How does international air freight work?
Air freight moves cargo airport to airport in one to four days on scheduled services, or roughly three to seven door to door once collection, customs and delivery are counted. It is charged on the greater of actual weight or volumetric weight — length by width by height in centimetres, divided by 6,000.
What is air freight?
When time is critical and your cargo simply cannot wait, air freight is the answer. Air freight — sometimes called air cargo — is the transportation of goods via commercial or charter aircraft across international routes. Whether you're shipping a single pallet or a full consignment, goods are carefully packed, documented, and flown to virtually any destination on the planet with speed and precision.
At First Base Freight, we offer fully managed international air freight services for both imports and exports. We work with a trusted network of carriers and airlines to ensure your cargo moves on time, every time — whether that's a scheduled commercial flight or a dedicated charter service. Because we arrange shipments from any country to any country, an air freight booking does not have to start or finish in the UK.
Real example
A customer based in Birmingham needed to ship specialist automotive components urgently to a dealer in Dubai. Using our air freight service, the consignment was collected, documented, and delivered door-to-door within 72 hours — keeping the production line running without delay.
An example of a completed shipment, not a service guarantee — transit depends on the routing, the cargo and customs at both ends.
Why air
Why choose air freight?
Speed
Air is the fastest mode of international freight, cutting transit times from weeks to days.
Reliability
Scheduled flights run on strict timetables, giving you far greater predictability over your supply chain.
Security
Air cargo goes through stringent handling procedures, significantly reducing the risk of damage or loss.
Global reach
From major commercial airports to regional hubs, air freight connects you to virtually every corner of the world.
Ideal for high-value or time-sensitive goods
Electronics, automotive parts, pharmaceuticals and perishables are all routinely shipped by air for good reason.
What we do
Our air freight solutions
Managed end to end, on import and export lanes alike.
Streamlined services with optional collection
We handle the entire process from start to finish. From arranging collection at your premises to customs clearance and final delivery — we take care of it all so you don't have to.
Cargo visibility at every stage
Stay informed as your shipment moves. We keep you updated from departure to arrival as part of the managed service, so you're never left wondering where your cargo is.
Specialist charter & freighter flights
For oversized, urgent, or high-volume consignments, we can arrange dedicated charter and freighter flights. This is ideal for businesses that need full control over scheduling and cargo integrity.
Where we fly
Top air freight destinations
Examples of the key global corridors we move cargo on, in both directions. They are not the limit of our coverage — air freight reaches effectively any commercial airport, and we quote origins and destinations well beyond this list.
| Region | Key airports & hubs |
|---|---|
| North America | New York (JFK), Los Angeles (LAX), Chicago (ORD) |
| Europe | Frankfurt (FRA), London (LHR/LGW), Amsterdam (AMS) |
| Asia-Pacific | Hong Kong (HKG), Singapore (SIN), Shanghai (PVG), Tokyo (NRT), Mumbai (BOM) |
| Middle East | Dubai (DXB), Doha (DOH), Riyadh (RUH) |
| South America | São Paulo (GRU), Buenos Aires (EZE), Bogotá (BOG) |
| Africa | Johannesburg (JNB), Nairobi (NBO), Cairo (CAI) |
| Oceania | Sydney (SYD), Auckland (AKL), Melbourne (MEL) |
Real shipping example
We regularly manage air freight consignments from London Heathrow to Sydney for UK exporters supplying the Australian market — with average transit times of just 2–3 business days, including customs clearance support at both ends.
Why us
Why First Base Freight for air freight?
We're not a faceless freight portal. We're a team that genuinely understands logistics — and we treat every shipment as if it were our own.
Experienced freight specialists
Hands-on knowledge of international air cargo regulations.
Competitive rates
Competitive rates across a broad network of airline and charter partners.
End-to-end documentation support
Including customs, export declarations, and airway bills.
Dedicated account handling
You speak to a real person, not a chatbot.
Trusted by UK businesses
Shipping to the USA, UAE, Australia and beyond — and importing from just as many markets.
Get an air freight quote
Whether you're moving time-critical automotive parts, commercial goods, or specialist cargo — our air freight team is ready to make it happen. Tell us the origin and destination country and city, and the weight of your consignment.
Air freight is priced per 100kg of chargeable weight. Indicative base rates are published on each country page.
Also available
Complete the move with our other services
Cargo Insurance
All-risk marine and air cargo cover for the declared value of your goods, arranged at quote stage on any lane.
View serviceWarehousing
Bonded and general storage at origin and destination, with pick, pack and onward distribution.
View serviceRoRo
Roll-on/roll-off shipping for cars, vans, trucks, plant and any self-propelled or wheeled equipment.
View serviceDoor to Door
Collection at the shipper's premises and delivery to the consignee's door, with everything between handled by us.
View serviceProject Cargo
Out-of-gauge, heavy-lift and breakbulk consignments that will not travel in a standard container.
View serviceAsk about any of these when you request a quote or get in touch.
Air freight: common questions
How long does air freight take?
Usually 1 to 4 days airport-to-airport on scheduled services. Door-to-door adds collection, export handling, customs clearance and final delivery, which typically brings a realistic total to 3 to 7 days depending on the lane and how quickly documents are ready.
How is air freight chargeable weight calculated?
Air freight is charged on whichever is greater: the actual gross weight, or the volumetric weight calculated as length × width × height in centimetres divided by 6,000. A light, bulky consignment is therefore priced on the space it occupies, not what it weighs — which is why a well-packed shipment can cost materially less than a badly packed one of the same contents.
When is air freight worth the extra cost over sea?
When the value of arriving weeks earlier exceeds the freight premium — typically for high-value, low-weight, perishable, seasonal or stock-out-critical goods. A useful test is to compare the air premium against the cost of the capital tied up in sea transit plus the margin lost to being out of stock; below roughly 100kg the gap between the two modes is often smaller than expected.
What cannot be sent by air freight?
Air carriage restricts far more than sea does. Lithium batteries, aerosols, flammable liquids, magnetised material, compressed gases and many chemicals are either forbidden or require dangerous-goods declaration, IATA-compliant packing and a certified shipper. Tell us the commodity before booking and we will confirm what applies rather than discovering it at the airport.
Ready to move cargo by air freight?
Any country to any country, import or export — send us the origin, destination and cargo details and we'll come back with a competitive rate within one business day.