Individual shipments arrive at the consolidator's cargo station
Air Freight Consolidations from the USA
Air Freight Consolidations: The Smart Option for Smaller Shipments
Not every shipment fills a freighter. And not every shipment can justify paying for exclusive capacity. Air freight consolidations give freight forwarders a practical middle ground: the speed of air transport at rates that work for smaller volumes.
airrate.com helps forwarders find competitive consolidation rates from major US gateways to destinations worldwide, any time of day.
HAWB
Issued to the shipper for the individual shipment
MAWB
Issued by the airline for the full consolidated shipment
ULD
Individual shipments built into aircraft loading units
What Is Air Freight Consolidation?
What Is Air Freight Consolidation?
Air freight consolidation, also called groupage or LCL air freight, works by combining multiple smaller shipments from different shippers into a single consignment that travels under one Master Air Waybill (MAWB). Each individual shipment has its own House Air Waybill (HAWB) issued by the consolidating forwarder.
The consolidator collects individual shipments at a cargo station or freight forwarding facility, builds them into ULDs, and tenders the full consignment to the airline. At destination, the consolidator's agent breaks the consignment apart and releases individual HAWBs to the respective importers or their agents.
This allows smaller shippers and forwarders with smaller volumes to benefit from better per-kg rates that larger consolidated shipments attract.
How It Works, Step by Step
How It Works, Step by Step
Each shipment is checked in, weighed, measured, and assigned a HAWB
The consolidator builds the consignment into ULDs for the aircraft
The full consolidated consignment is tendered to the airline under a single MAWB
At destination, the agent breaks down the consignment and releases individual HAWBs
Each consignee uses their HAWB as the primary document for customs clearance
Types of Consolidation Service
Types of Consolidation Service
Scheduled Weekly Consolidations
Most major US-origin consolidation services run on fixed departure schedules, for example every Monday and Thursday from JFK to Frankfurt, or every Tuesday from LAX to Singapore. These services offer predictable departure frequency and transit times for non-urgent cargo that still needs the speed of air.
Ad Hoc Consolidations
For routes or timing not covered by a scheduled service, ad hoc consolidations can be arranged when sufficient volume is available or a specific departure is required.
Deferred Consolidations
The most economical air option, for cargo that needs to travel by air but can accept a slightly longer or less predictable transit time.
Consolidation vs Full Charter
Consolidation vs Full Charter: When to Use Which
Consolidation
- Consolidation works well for shipments under 300 to 500 kg chargeable weight where the volume doesn't fill a ULD
- DG cargo, temperature-sensitive goods, and oversized items may not be suitable for a shared consolidation
Full ULD or Charter
- Full ULD or charter rates become competitive once your shipment is large enough to fill significant capacity, typically 500 kg and above depending on the route
- Time-critical cargo requiring guaranteed departure should book dedicated capacity rather than relying on a consolidation departure
Key US Consolidation Gateways
Key US Consolidation Gateways
- JFK: New York/New Jersey, the largest US consolidation hub with departures to virtually every global destination
- MIA: Miami, primary hub for Latin America, Caribbean, and Iberian Peninsula consolidations
- ORD: Chicago, strong European and Asian connections
- ATL: Atlanta, BOS: Boston, IAD: Washington Dulles
- LAX: Los Angeles, primary West Coast hub for transpacific, Australia, and LATAM
- SFO: San Francisco, Bay Area tech and biotech gateway
- SEA: Seattle, Pacific Northwest and transpacific
- IAH: Houston, energy sector and Latin America hub
- DFW: Dallas Fort Worth, South-Central US gateway
Active US Consolidation Routes
Active US Consolidation Routes
USA to Europe
JFK, ORD, MIA to FRA, AMS, LHR, CDG, BRU: weekly or twice-weekly departures on most lanes
USA to India
JFK, ORD, LAX to BOM, DEL, BLR, HYD, MAA: one of the world's most active consolidation corridors
USA to Southeast Asia
LAX, SFO, JFK to SIN, BKK, CGK, KUL, MNL, SGN
USA to Latin America
MIA, JFK, IAH to GRU, BOG, LIM, MEX, SCL, EZE: strong LATAM volumes out of Miami
USA to Middle East
JFK, ORD to DXB, DOH, AUH, RUH, JED
USA to Africa
JFK, MIA to NBO, ADD, LOS, JNB, CAI via European and Middle Eastern hub connections
USA to Australia
LAX, SFO to SYD, MEL, BNE, PER: less frequent than other corridors but available on key city pairs
Cargo That Works Well in Consolidations
Cargo That Works Well in Consolidations
General Cargo
General cargo, boxes, cartons, and pallets of non-hazardous goods
Apparel and Textiles
Apparel and textiles
Electronics and Consumer Goods
Electronics and consumer goods
Pharmaceutical Samples
Pharmaceutical samples and medical devices where temperature control is manageable through packaging
Spare Parts
Spare parts and industrial components that don't justify dedicated capacity
Samples and Documents
Samples and commercial documents
E-Commerce Replenishment
E-commerce replenishment stock
Documentation for Air Freight Consolidations
Documentation for Air Freight Consolidations
As a forwarder handling consolidations, you'll manage documentation at both the house and master level:
Why Use airrate.com for US Consolidations
Why Use airrate.com for US Consolidations
Search Any Time
Search consolidation rates any time, not just when consolidator offices are open
Scheduled and Ad Hoc
Scheduled and ad hoc options visible on the same platform
Major US Corridors
Coverage across all major US consolidation corridors
Consolidation vs Charter
Compare consolidation vs full charter side by side to see when dedicated capacity makes more sense
Dedicated Pickup
Dedicated pickup for US inland origins feeding consolidation stations at gateway airports