Types of air service

Air freight comes in three service levels: express, standard, and deferred. Express is fastest and most expensive (a direct flight); standard is the most common (one or two stops); deferred is the cheapest air option (several stops) but still costs more than ocean LCL. All air shipments also carry airline terminal charges.

Your cargo goes on a direct flight to its destination. This is the fastest — and the most expensive — air option. Choose it when the deadline is tight and every day counts.

Your cargo will likely stop at one or two airports along the way, where it's transferred between aircraft. This is the most common type of air service and balances speed against cost.

Your cargo makes several stops on its way to the final destination. Deferred is cheaper than express, but it's still more expensive than shipping ocean LCL. Choose it when you want air speed but can trade some transit time for a lower price.

Airline terminal charges apply to any air shipment, on top of the freight itself. Air freight is also usually priced on chargeable weight — often the volumetric (dimensional) weight rather than the actual weight, because space is tight on aircraft. For how these appear on your bill, see How to read your invoice.

When you request an air rate, your Prime Freight team can lay out the express, standard, and deferred options for your lane so you can weigh speed against cost. If you're deciding between air and ocean in the first place, see FCL vs LCL vs parcel: which to choose.

• FCL vs LCL vs parcel: which to choose

• Chargeable weight explained

• How to read your invoice

• Freight & shipping glossary