Air Freight
Express and consolidated air cargo from Ningbo, Shanghai Pudong and Hangzhou airports — when your cargo must arrive in days, not weeks.
Express and consolidated air cargo from Ningbo, Shanghai Pudong and Hangzhou airports — when your cargo must arrive in days, not weeks.
When a production line is waiting, a trade-show booth must arrive, or a seasonal launch cannot slip, ocean transit times are not an option. BY-LINE books air cargo out of three airports within 90 minutes of our Ningbo office — Ningbo Lishe (NGB), Shanghai Pudong (PVG) and Hangzhou Xiaoshan (HGH) — and matches your shipment to the right service level: next-flight-out express, scheduled standard, or cost-saving consolidation.
Air freight is priced on chargeable weight — the higher of actual weight and volumetric weight (length × width × height ÷ 6,000 cm³/kg). We calculate this before you commit, advise on packaging that reduces dimensional weight, and combine air with sea or trucking where a hybrid routing cuts cost without missing your date.
Every air shipment includes export customs clearance, airline space confirmation, and milestone updates at departure, arrival and delivery. For high-value or sensitive cargo we arrange secure handling, full-value insurance and — where required — escorted or temperature-controlled transport.
Priority space on the next available flight, door-to-door where needed. For urgent spares, samples, and production-line-critical parts.
Scheduled airline departures at balanced rates. The default choice for most commercial air cargo — reliable without express premiums.
Smaller shipments grouped under one master AWB to share the rate. Ideal for e-commerce replenishment and cargo under 100 kg.
Chargeable weight calculated; best airport and flight option confirmed.
Airline space reserved; cargo collected from your supplier and screened.
Export declaration filed, AWB issued, cargo tendered and flown.
Destination clearance and final delivery to airport, warehouse or door.
Air freight charges are based on chargeable weight, which is the higher of the actual gross weight and the volumetric (dimensional) weight. Volumetric weight is calculated as Length x Width x Height divided by 6,000 cm3/kg (or 166.7 lbs per cubic foot for imperial). We calculate this before booking so there are no surprises on the invoice, and can advise on packaging that minimizes dimensional weight.
For suppliers in Zhejiang, Ningbo Lishe (NGB) is the closest and often most cost-effective for consolidated cargo. Shanghai Pudong (PVG) has the widest airline network and most competitive rates for large shipments. Hangzhou Xiaoshan (HGH) is a good alternative when capacity at PVG is tight. We compare all three airports in every quote and recommend the best balance of cost and transit time.
Yes. We regularly ship lithium batteries, chemicals and other regulated goods under IATA DGR requirements with proper classification, packaging and documentation. For temperature-sensitive products, we use active or passive cold-chain packaging and book on cold-chain-capable flights. Pre-cooling and temperature recording throughout the journey are available.
Air freight makes sense when: the goods are needed within days rather than weeks; the cargo is high-value and the cost of capital in transit matters; the product is time-sensitive such as seasonal fashion or trade-show materials; or the shipment is small enough that the air-sea cost differential is modest. As a rule of thumb, shipments under 300 kg with urgent deadlines are strong candidates for air.
Tell us your cargo and deadline. We’ll confirm space, routing and all-in cost within 24 hours.
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