Air Logistics Services in India – Complete Guide 2025

• Express Air Freight: The fastest option — cargo delivered within 1–3 days. Ideal for urgent shipments like medical supplies, spare parts, or e-commerce orders.
• Standard Air Freight: Regular air cargo service with delivery in 3–7 days. Best for garments, electronics, or handicrafts with moderate urgency.
• Charter Air Freight: The entire aircraft is booked for your cargo alone. Used for very large, oversized, or highly sensitive shipments like defence equipment or live animals.
• Consolidated Air Freight (LCL): Your cargo is grouped with other shipments. Cost-effective option for smaller loads — you only pay for the space your cargo uses.
• Perishable Cargo Logistics: Specially handled air freight for food, flowers, medicines, and temperature-sensitive items. Requires cold chain management and priority handling.
• Dangerous Goods (DG) Air Freight: Regulated service for hazardous materials like chemicals, lithium batteries, or flammable goods. Requires IATA DG certification and special packaging.

1. Get Your Registrations Ready: Before you can ship anything, you need a valid IEC (Import Export Code) and GST registration. Without IEC, customs will not allow your cargo to depart or arrive. Get IEC registration through Make Merchant.
2. Cargo Booking and Rate Negotiation: Share your cargo details — weight, dimensions, origin, destination, and timeline. Make Merchant negotiates the best airline rates on your behalf.
3. Packaging and Cargo Preparation: Pack goods securely as per IATA regulations. Improper packaging is one of the most common reasons for cargo damage and customs rejection.
4. Documentation Preparation: Prepare all required documents — Airway Bill, Commercial Invoice, Packing List, and Certificate of Origin. Make Merchant verifies every document before submission.
5. Cargo Pickup and Drop-off at Airport: Cargo is picked up from your location and transported to the origin airport. Make Merchant arranges secure first-mile pickup across India.
6. Security Screening and Cargo Loading: At the airport, cargo undergoes mandatory X-ray and security screening. Approved cargo is then safely loaded onto the aircraft.
7. Flight and Real-Time Tracking: Once airborne, track your cargo using the AWB number via the airline's portal. Make Merchant provides regular tracking updates to all clients.
8. Customs Clearance at Destination: Shipments go through customs inspection and duty assessment on arrival. Make Merchant's customs clearance team handles this end-to-end.
9. Last Mile Delivery: After customs clearance, cargo is transported from the destination airport to the buyer's address. Make Merchant ensures safe and timely last-mile delivery.

• Airway Bill (AWB): The most important document in air logistics. Acts as the shipment receipt, contract of carriage, and tracking reference. Every air cargo shipment must have a unique AWB number.
• Commercial Invoice: Details description of goods, quantity, value, buyer and seller information, and Incoterms. Required for customs valuation and duty calculation.
• Packing List: Itemised list of all goods with individual weights, dimensions, and packaging details. Must match the Commercial Invoice exactly.
• Importer Exporter Code (IEC): Mandatory 10-digit code issued by DGFT for all Indian exporters and importers. Without IEC, your cargo cannot legally cross India's borders. Apply for IEC through Make Merchant.
• Certificate of Origin (COO): Certifies the country where goods were manufactured. Required for customs clearance and to claim preferential trade agreement benefits.
• Shipping Bill (for exports): Filed electronically on ICEGATE, this is the primary customs export document. Make Merchant files your shipping bill accurately and on time.
• Bill of Entry (for imports): Filed on ICEGATE by the importer for goods arriving in India. Required for customs assessment and duty payment.
• Insurance Certificate: Covers cargo against loss, theft, or damage during transit. Highly recommended for all air shipments, especially high-value goods.
• Dangerous Goods Declaration: Mandatory for cargo containing hazardous materials. Must comply with IATA DG regulations.

Make Merchant negotiates bulk airline rates and passes the savings to our clients. Contact us for a free air freight quote today.

Our recommendation: Choose air logistics when speed matters and cargo is valuable or time-sensitive. Explore our Sea Logistics Services for bulk shipment needs.

• Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi (DEL): India's busiest air cargo hub handling over 900,000 tonnes annually. Best for North India exporters shipping garments, handicrafts, auto parts, and pharmaceuticals.
• Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai (BOM): Major gateway for West India — handles diamonds, electronics, chemicals, and luxury goods. Strong connectivity to Middle East, Europe, and USA.
• Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru (BLR): Fastest growing air cargo airport in India. Key hub for IT hardware, perishables, flowers, and biotechnology exports.
• Chennai International Airport (MAA): Important hub for South India — handles automobile components, textiles, and leather goods exports.
• Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad (HYD): India's leading hub for pharmaceutical exports with dedicated cold chain facilities.
• Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata (CCU): Key hub for East India — handles jute, tea, seafood, and manufactured goods exports.
• Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, Ahmedabad (AMD): Growing cargo hub for Gujarat — handles chemicals, textiles, diamonds, and engineering goods.

• Fastest Transit Times: Air cargo reaches international destinations in 1–7 days compared to 15–45 days for sea freight — giving your business a major competitive advantage.
• Very High Security: Strict BCAS and IATA security protocols at Indian airports make air freight the safest mode of transport for valuable goods.
• Real-Time Shipment Tracking: AWB-based tracking gives you and your buyer complete visibility of shipment status at every stage of the journey.
• Ideal for High-Value and Fragile Goods: Electronics, jewellery, pharmaceuticals, and precision instruments are safest when shipped by air due to minimal handling and fast transit.
• Access to 200+ Countries: India's major airports have direct or one-stop connections to over 200 countries — giving even small MSMEs instant access to global buyers.
• Just-in-Time Inventory Management: Faster delivery cycles help importers maintain lean inventory, reduce warehousing costs, and respond quickly to market demand.
• Lower Insurance Premium: Shorter transit time and high security mean lower risk of damage or loss — translating to lower cargo insurance premiums.
• Boosts Buyer Trust: Reliable, fast delivery via air logistics helps Indian exporters build stronger relationships with international buyers and win repeat orders.

1. Book Early: Last-minute air freight bookings always cost more. Plan shipments 7–14 days in advance to get the best rates and avoid peak season surcharges.
2. Minimise Volumetric Weight: Air freight is charged on actual or volumetric weight (L×W×H / 5000), whichever is higher. Use compact, efficient packaging to save significantly on freight charges.
3. Consolidate Shipments: Instead of multiple small shipments, consolidate them into one larger shipment. Make Merchant's consolidation service helps you save 20–30% on freight costs.
4. Choose the Right Incoterms: Selecting the right Incoterms (EXW, FOB, CIF, DAP) affects who bears the freight and insurance cost. Make Merchant advises you on the best Incoterms for your trade route.
5. Use a Freight Forwarder with Bulk Contracts: Companies like Make Merchant have negotiated bulk rate contracts with multiple airlines — passing significant savings to clients compared to booking directly.
6. Always Get Cargo Insurance: Skipping insurance to save money often backfires. A single damaged shipment without insurance can wipe out months of profit. Insurance premium is a small price for complete peace of mind.

Make Merchant is India's trusted export-import consultancy and air logistics service provider, headquartered in Noida, Delhi NCR. We have helped 500+ businesses across India navigate the complexities of international trade — from getting their first IEC registration to managing regular air freight shipments to 50+ countries.

Our team of air logistics experts handles everything for you — cargo booking, documentation, customs clearance, cargo insurance, and last-mile delivery. We work with all major airlines and have bulk rate contracts that ensure our clients always get the most competitive freight rates in India.

We also offer complete business registration and compliance services — including IEC Registration, GST Registration, MSME Registration, and Custom Clearance Services. Make Merchant is your one-stop partner for all export-import needs in India.

Ready to Ship by Air? Get a Free Quote from Make Merchant Today!

Whether you are a first-time exporter or an experienced importer looking for better air logistics rates — Make Merchant is here to help. Call us now for a free consultation and get a customised air freight quote within 24 hours.

📞 Call / WhatsApp: +91 7011192293
📧 Email: ask@makemerchant.com
🌐 Website: www.makemerchant.com/air-logistics