air freight

American  

noun

1. a system of transporting freight by aircraft.

   Ship it by air freight.

2. freight transported by aircraft.

3. the charge for such transportation.

---

air freight British  

noun

1. freight transported by aircraft

---

verb

1. (tr) to send (goods) to their destination by aircraft

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• air freighter
  noun

Etymology

Origin of air freight

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

The retailer says it is likely to experience £15m in additional costs - such as fuel and air freight - if the conflict lasts for three months.

From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026

“With good flexibility in the supply chain and a low proportion of air freight, there are opportunities to adapt the flow of goods to changed conditions,” the company said.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 26, 2026

In contrast, air cargo capacity has tightened and strong air freight rates should support yields for forwarders.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026

Kathleen Brooks, research director at trading platform XTB, noted that the Middle East sees 18 percent of air freight.

From Barron's • Mar. 2, 2026

Gey’s air freight shipping system worked fine for sending a few cells to colleagues here and there, but it was too expensive for shipping on a massive scale.

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot