Frequently Asked Questions

airrate.com is an air freight rate search and booking platform built for freight forwarders. It lets you search live rates from multiple airlines, compare options, and book directly through a single platform. The platform is available any time of the day or night.

airrate.com is built exclusively for freight forwarders. It is not a consumer booking tool. If you run a freight forwarding company or work as an independent freight agent and want faster, more reliable access to air cargo rates, this platform is for you.

When you contact airlines directly, you get one set of rates per inquiry and you depend on their office hours. airrate.com aggregates live rates from multiple airlines in a single search, available any time. You can compare carriers, routing options, and pricing side by side rather than working through separate email threads with each one.

The current platform focuses on US-origin export air freight. If you need rates on US imports or other origin markets, contact our team and we can discuss what is available.

Yes. airrate.com is a web-based platform accessible from anywhere. You do not need to be based in the US to use it. We support freight forwarders globally who are sourcing rates on US-origin air freight.

Rates on airrate.com are live rates provided directly by the airlines and GSAs on our platform. They are updated by the carriers in real time and reflect current market conditions.

This varies by airline. Some carriers quote all-in rates with surcharges bundled together; others quote a net base rate with surcharges itemised separately. airrate.com shows you the full rate breakdown for each result so you can compare accurately across carriers.

Standard air freight surcharges include the fuel surcharge (FSC), security surcharge (SSC), and terminal handling charges (THC) at origin and destination. Additional charges may apply for dangerous goods, oversized cargo, cold chain handling, or peak season capacity. These are shown within the rate result where applicable.

Chargeable weight is the greater of actual gross weight and volumetric weight. Volumetric weight is calculated as length multiplied by width multiplied by height in centimetres, divided by 6000. airrate.com calculates this automatically when you enter your shipment dimensions, so you always know what weight the airline will charge on before you book.

When you generate a quote, you select the Incoterm. Choose FCA for an airport-to-airport rate. Choose EXW and enter the pickup address, and the platform quotes the pickup charges on top of the airport-to-airport rate as a single combined price. This lets you compare airport-to-airport and door-to-airport costs in the same search and choose the scope that fits your client.

Payment terms depend on the relationship. When you and airrate.com share membership in a freight network that provides financial protection, credit terms can be granted, and the available credit line varies from one network to another. For new relationships, or where no mutual network protection applies, shipments are handled on a prepaid basis. Contact our team to confirm the terms for your account.

Enter your shipment details including origin and destination airports, cargo ready date, weight, and dimensions. The platform returns live rates from multiple airlines. Select the rate that works for your shipment and confirm the booking directly through the platform. Confirmation comes back straight away.

Once confirmed, your booking is recorded in your dashboard alongside your active and past bookings. From there, the airrate.com team manages the coordination. We contact the airline to hold the space and handle cargo acceptance, cut-off times and documentation, and we contact the shipper to arrange pickup and collect the required paperwork. We keep you updated at each step. You work with us throughout, not the airline or its handling agent, so you have one point of contact for the shipment.

Yes. airrate.com surfaces express and Next Flight Out options within standard search results. Filter by fastest transit time to bring these to the top. For AOG or other genuine emergencies, contact our team directly and we can help identify the fastest available option.

The platform supports general cargo, dangerous goods (subject to airline acceptance on the specific route and DG class), and perishables. Oversized or out-of-gauge cargo and full aircraft charters fall outside standard search parameters. Contact our team for requirements that do not fit a standard search.

Amendment and cancellation policies are set by the individual airline and apply to each booking. Review the terms at the time of confirmation. For urgent changes, contact our team and we can assist in liaising with the carrier.

Standard documentation includes the Air Waybill (AWB), commercial invoice, packing list, and shipper's letter of instruction. Additional documents may be required depending on cargo type and destination: phytosanitary certificates for perishables, IATA DG declarations for dangerous goods, certificates of origin for some markets, and import permits where the destination country requires them. Your customs broker at destination can advise on country-specific requirements.

The Master Air Waybill (MAWB) is issued by the airline to the freight forwarder, covering the full consignment tendered to the carrier. The House Air Waybill (HAWB) is issued by the forwarder to the individual shipper, covering their specific shipment within a consolidation. In a direct booking where a forwarder places a full consignment with an airline, only a MAWB is used.

The flight cutoff is the deadline by which cargo must be delivered to the airline's cargo terminal to be accepted onto a specific flight. Miss it and the cargo waits for the next available departure, which can add a day or more to the transit time. Cutoff times vary by airline, airport, and cargo type. Always confirm the cutoff with the airline or handling agent when planning collection and delivery to the terminal.

CAO stands for Cargo Aircraft Only. Some dangerous goods classifications cannot travel in the hold of a passenger aircraft and must fly on dedicated freighter services. The applicable rules are set out in the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations. When searching for DG rates on airrate.com, the platform indicates whether results are on freighter or passenger aircraft services.

Typical airport-to-airport transit times from major US gateways:

• Europe: 1 to 3 business days
• India: 2 to 5 business days
• Southeast Asia: 3 to 7 business days
• Latin America: 2 to 5 business days
• Middle East: 2 to 4 business days
• Africa: 2 to 7 business days depending on the destination
• Australia: 2 to 5 business days from US West Coast gateways

These are airport-to-airport times. Door-to-door includes pickup, export clearance, transit, import clearance, and delivery at destination.

Air freight is usually the right choice when the shipment is time-sensitive, the cargo is high-value and a long ocean transit carries unacceptable risk, the goods are perishable, or there is simply not enough time for ocean. Ocean freight remains more cost-effective for large, heavy shipments with sufficient lead time. See our Air Freight vs Ocean Freight page for a full comparison.

Yes. AOG freight is one of the most time-critical categories we support. The platform is available at any hour, so when an AOG call comes in you can search rates and identify routing options straight away. Dedicated pickup from the part's location can also be arranged. See our AOG Air Freight page for more detail.

Yes. Ship spares is a specialist area where urgency and port-gateway routing both matter. airrate.com covers major port gateway airports worldwide and supports dedicated pickup from OEM facilities, warehouses, and distributors. See our Ship Spares Air Freight page for documentation requirements and port coverage.

Yes. Consolidation rate options appear alongside direct booking rates in search results. Consolidations work well for shipments under 300 to 500 kg chargeable weight where the volume does not justify exclusive capacity. See our Air Freight Consolidations page for a full explanation.

Options depend on the airline and route. They include active temperature controlled (ATC) ULDs, dry ice, gel packs, and passive insulated packaging. When searching for perishable rates, airrate.com surfaces airlines with appropriate handling capabilities on your specific route. See our Perishables and Cold Chain Air Freight page for more guidance.

airrate.com is owned by Pace Global Logistics LLC, a licensed freight forwarder based in Los Angeles. airrate.com is the digital platform. It is where you search rates, compare options and place the booking. Pace Global Logistics LLC handles the freight. The Pace Global team books the space with the airline, arranges the pickup and moves the shipment. Pace Global Logistics LLC holds the operating licenses and carries out all compliance, documentation and regulatory filing for every shipment booked on the platform. You book online and a licensed forwarder moves the cargo.

Once confirmed, your booking is recorded in your dashboard alongside your active and past bookings. From there, the airrate.com team manages the coordination. We contact the airline to hold the space and handle cargo acceptance, cut-off times and documentation, and we contact the shipper to arrange pickup and collect the required paperwork. We keep you updated at each step. You work with us throughout, not the airline or its handling agent, so you have one point of contact for the shipment.

Each quote on airrate.com carries its own validity period, which varies by airline and market conditions. The validity is displayed with each rate result. The shipment must be uplifted within the validity window for the quoted rate to apply. If the cargo ready date falls outside the validity, you will need to search for a fresh rate.

Rates on airrate.com are live and subject to airline confirmation at the time of booking. While we work to ensure the rates displayed are accurate, final pricing is always subject to confirmation by the airline. Factors such as space availability, fuel price changes, surcharge adjustments, or market disruptions can affect the final rate. We will always communicate any change to you before the cargo is tendered.

No. airrate.com is useful for forwarders of any size, whether you are handling a handful of air freight shipments a week or managing high volumes across multiple trade lanes.

Yes. Multi-user access is available. Contact our team to discuss the setup for your business.

Use the contact form on our website or email our team directly. We are happy to answer questions about the platform, discuss specific shipment requirements, or walk you through how airrate.com works.