Air Freight Services for Time-Sensitive US Imports
When a shipment can't wait for ocean transit, Platton's air freight books it on a confirmed flight to the US. Companies importing into the US use it for anything from a first box of samples to the thousandth shipment. You get AWB management, all-in rates quoted upfront, and status updates your team can act on. For urgent restocks and product launches, the cargo lands on the schedule your business needs.
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Getting Time-Critical Cargo Onto the Next Flight
When a stockout is two days out or a launch can't slip to ocean, you need air freight that moves on your schedule.
Priority bookings for urgent cargo
Urgent shipments do not sit in a queue. We book priority space with the right carrier for the route, so time-sensitive cargo goes on the first suitable flight.
Express, standard or deferred
Pick the service level that fits the deadline. Air freight from China takes about 3 days by express, 5 to 8 days by standard and 8 to 10 days by deferred. Transit times for the other lanes are in our air freight transit times guide.
Carrier network into US gateways
Direct carrier relationships cover the key lanes into the US, from Shanghai and Shenzhen in China, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, Mumbai in India, and major European hubs such as Frankfurt, Amsterdam and London. Your cargo gets confirmed space, not a waitlist spot.
All-in rates, quoted upfront
You see the all-in rate before you commit, with fuel surcharges, security fees, and handling included.
The rate is billed on chargeable weight, the greater of actual weight and volumetric weight (length x width x height in centimeters divided by 6,000, about 167 kg per cubic meter).
Check your packing list in the chargeable weight calculator before requesting the quote.
Flight tracking
We monitor flight status through cargo tracking and flag the moment something needs attention.
Direct Relationships with Major Air Cargo Carriers
Platton books with Lufthansa Cargo, Cargolux, Emirates SkyCargo, Qatar Airways Cargo, FedEx, UPS, DHL, and major US passenger carriers, which secures confirmed space on every major route into the United States.
Routing and Booking That Hit Your Delivery Window
Route optimization, direct vs hub
We compare direct and hub-routing across carriers for the fastest confirmed transit at the best rate. On lanes from China, Vietnam, India, and Europe, the routing call can be the difference between a 3-day and a 5-day window, and our team makes it daily.
Booking and AWB issuance
Platton books the flight, issues the AWB and prepares the export documentation. The air waybill is the contract between shipper and airline and the receipt for the goods.
Air Cargo Platton Moves Into US Gateways
Platton books air freight on the main lanes from Asia and Europe into US gateways. What backs that up:
Member of WCA, JCtrans, and NCBFAA.
Confirmed air space at JFK, LAX, ORD, DFW, ATL, Sea-Tac and MIA.
US offices in Seattle, Savannah, Portland, and Chicago, cities served by Sea-Tac, SAV, PDX and ORD.
AWB issuance and export documentation on every shipment.
The Air Freight Problems That Cost Importers Most
When air is worth the cost
Air costs more per kilo, but a stockout, a missed launch, or a long ocean delay costs more. We help you decide when air is justified and structure the shipment to cut cost per kilo without stretching the transit window.
Confirmed space in peak season
Before holidays and in peak season, belly space fills before the week is out. Our carrier relationships give you express air space and confirmed capacity when the spot market is closed out.
Delays after landing
Cargo held at customs burns the premium you paid for speed. After customs release, the cargo waits at the airport terminal for pickup, and storage starts to cost once the free time runs out. Documents checked before the flight keep the shipment moving on arrival.
Services You Can Add to an Air Booking
Pick what the shipment needs on top of the flight.
- Ocean Freight: the lower-cost mode for non-urgent volume
- Customs Clearance: ISF, entry filing, and CBP release through licensed brokers
- LTL Delivery: palletized pickup and final-mile delivery across the US
- Door-to-door shipping and full-cycle management under one point of contact
- Cargo Insurance: cover for air cargo against loss or damage
- Amazon FBA Shipping: fast restocks for Amazon sellers
- More -> Shipping from China to USA
How Platton Runs Your Air Shipment
Platton is built for importers who need speed and certainty. Here is what the move looks like in practice.
Air freight planning
We map transit time, carrier reliability, and cost against your delivery window before booking, so your team gets a confirmed schedule instead of a best-guess ETD.
Leaner inventory
Faster transit lets you run leaner inventory buffers, with less capital tied up in stock and fewer emergency orders.
On-time monitoring
We watch flight status and hub connections in real time and reroute before a disruption becomes a delay.
Fast disruption recovery
When a flight is cancelled or a hub is congested, we have alternative carriers ready, often rebooked within hours.
One dashboard for every AWB
From AWB number to arrival, you track every shipment in one place.
Common Questions About Air Freight
Air freight moves cargo by aircraft from an origin airport to a US airport, then by truck to your warehouse. It is the fastest mode, about 3 days by express or 5 to 8 by standard from China against 20 to 45 by ocean, which fits time-sensitive, high-value, or seasonal cargo where a delay has direct cost.
Platton picks the carrier and routing for your delivery window and books the space. You see one status for the shipment and get an alert when a decision is needed.
Electronics, medical devices, apparel, pharmaceuticals, automotive parts, and urgent inventory replenishment are common. If cargo is time-sensitive, high-value, or cannot wait for a 30-day ocean transit, air is the right mode. Lithium batteries and other dangerous goods have to be declared, packed and labeled to IATA rules before they fly; the guide to shipping lithium batteries lists the steps.
Air typically runs 4 to 6 times more per kilo than ocean freight. For high-value goods the math still favors air, because faster transit cuts inventory carrying cost, prevents stockouts, and avoids late-delivery penalties. The air vs ocean freight guide works through the numbers.
Use air when a delay has direct cost: a stockout, a missed retail window, a production line waiting on parts, or a contract with delivery penalties. It is also the call when ocean space is gone or a disruption has already eaten your buffer. For a mid-season stockout, a common fix is to fly enough units to cover the gap and ship the rest by ocean; the ocean-to-air restock guide shows how to split the order.
An air freight forwarder buys space from the airlines, picks the routing and follows the flight until it lands. Pickup, final delivery and cargo insurance can be added to the booking when the shipment needs them.
Move Your Next Urgent Shipment by Air
When speed matters and your margin for error is zero, work with an air freight team that plans the routing around your deadline. Talk to a Platton specialist about your lanes, timelines, and cargo, and we will map an air freight plan you can rely on.