Choosing the right air cargo service
The fastest flight is not always the fastest delivery. A direct service that lands at 02:00 on a Friday and clears on Saturday morning can be slower to the consignee's door than a connecting service that lands during working hours with the declaration already prepared. We compare routings against cut-off times, airport handling, customs readiness and final-mile timing rather than against flight duration alone.
Consolidated air freight shares a booking across several shippers and can reduce cost when the delivery window allows the consolidation to build. Back-to-back and direct services suit urgent, high-value or single-piece consignments where the cargo cannot wait for other freight. Charters are considered where volume, dimensions or timing rule out scheduled capacity.
How chargeable weight is calculated
Air freight is billed on chargeable weight, which is the greater of the actual gross weight and the volumetric weight. Volumetric weight is derived from the dimensions of each package, so light bulky cargo is charged on the space it occupies rather than what it weighs. This is the single most common reason a quote changes between enquiry and booking.
That is why a quote request needs the dimensions of every package, not just a total weight. A pallet described as 300 kg can price very differently depending on whether it is 120 cm high or 220 cm high. Sending accurate measurements at enquiry stage means the rate you are quoted is the rate that gets invoiced.
For an accurate air freight quote, send:
- Airport of origin and airport or door of destination
- Number of pieces, and the length, width and height of each
- Actual gross weight per piece and in total
- Commodity description and HS code if available
- Whether the cargo stacks, and whether it is palletised or loose
- Any dangerous goods class, UN number and MSDS
- Required temperature range for pharmaceutical or perishable cargo
Commercial and specialist air freight
Typical enquiries include machinery spares, electronics, retail stock, pharmaceuticals, perishables and time-critical project materials. Spares for a stopped production line and pharmaceutical cargo with a temperature range are the two categories where air freight is chosen on risk rather than on cost, and both need the paperwork prepared before the cargo moves.
Dangerous goods move only with correct IATA declarations, packing, labelling and carrier acceptance. Acceptance is decided by the airline, not by the forwarder, so the class and UN number are confirmed at quote stage rather than at the cargo terminal. Temperature-controlled shipments require an agreed range, suitable packaging and written handling instructions before booking.
Oversized air cargo is limited by aircraft door dimensions and deck loading, which differ between a passenger freighter belly hold and a main-deck freighter. Where a piece is close to those limits, dimensions and lifting points are checked against the specific aircraft before the booking is confirmed.
Dubai airport clearance and delivery
We can review the invoice, packing list, air waybill and permits before arrival, coordinate the import declaration through Mirsal 2, follow any inspection requirement, collect released cargo from the terminal and deliver it to a mainland or free-zone consignee.
Air cargo carries storage charges at the terminal that begin sooner than port demurrage, so the value of preparing the declaration before the flight lands is larger than most shippers expect. Where the documents are ready and the consignee's details are correct, the cargo can often move from terminal to door on the day it is released.
Export air freight works in the same order in reverse: collection in the UAE, export declaration, airline acceptance and handover, with the air waybill and any certificate or chamber documentation prepared alongside.
Frequently asked questions
How much does air freight in Dubai cost?
Air freight rates depend on origin, destination, chargeable weight, dimensions, commodity, routing and urgency. Send the shipment details for a current itemised quote; rates are not published because airline pricing changes frequently and a stale figure would be misleading.
What is chargeable weight in air freight?
Chargeable weight is the greater of the actual gross weight and the volumetric weight calculated from the package dimensions. Light bulky cargo is therefore charged on the space it occupies. Always send dimensions with weights so the quote matches the invoice.
Do you handle air cargo through both DXB and DWC?
Yes. PSL Arabia coordinates cargo through Dubai International (DXB) and Al Maktoum International (DWC), selecting the gateway used by the booked carrier and service, and taking the consignee's location into account.
Can you arrange airport-to-door air cargo?
Yes. The scope can include airport handling, Dubai customs clearance, collection from the cargo terminal and delivery to the final UAE address, whether the consignee is mainland or in a free zone.
Can you ship temperature-controlled or dangerous goods by air?
Temperature-controlled cargo can be arranged with an agreed range, suitable packaging and written handling instructions. Dangerous goods require correct IATA declarations, packing and labelling, and move only where the airline accepts the class and UN number.
How quickly can urgent air cargo move from Dubai?
That depends on carrier capacity, the routing available on the day, cut-off times and document readiness, so no fixed transit is promised. Preparing the declaration and permits before departure is usually what decides whether the cargo clears on arrival or waits.