Benefits and Disadvantages of Shipping Your Goods by Air

Air shipping is one of the fastest ways to transport packages, personal belongings, and time-sensitive items over long distances. For people planning a long-distance or international move, air shipping can be useful when certain belongings need to arrive quickly or safely.

However, it is not always the most affordable option. Before choosing air shipping for your move, it is important to understand its benefits, limitations, and when it makes the most sense.

Quick Comparison: Air Shipping vs. Ground and Ocean Shipping

Pros of Air Shipping 

Air shipping has a long list of benefits. 

Although some of the pros of air shipping are obvious to anyone who has shipped a package in the last few decades, other more indirect benefits from the development of air couriers can be seen in anything from the way businesses run to the way people interact with each other. 

While the impacts of air shipping are widespread, here are some of the biggest ways in which people have been able to benefit from it: 

• Speed: Air travel has come a long way since it was first introduced, connecting people in different countries and on different continents.  
  
  One of the things that air travel has brought to the table has been the ability to ship packages across a continent and have them arrive the very next day. 

• Safety: Along with the speed factor comes the safety of shipping packages by air. The longer a package takes to get from one place to another, and the more hands it changes in the process, the greater the chance is for something to go awry.  
  
  Air shipping all but eliminates this risk and remains the safest way to ship belongings when you move. 

• Variety of items you can ship: Because it takes such a short amount of time for a package to be shipped through the air, it has opened the door for a larger variety of things that you are able to ship.  
  
  For example, ground shipping can take up to a week, and you can't ship things that are perishable.  
  
  However, with air shipping, your goods are delivered quickly and efficiently, so you won't have to worry about your contents being spoiled. 

• Less of an opportunity for damage to occur: In addition to protecting your package contents from being spoiled, there is also less handling of packages that occurs when you ship through the air, meaning that there is less of a chance that your items will be damaged during the shipping process. 

• A clear path from point A to point B: When packages are shipped on the ground, any number of obstacles or unforeseen events can delay delivery.  
  
  For example, road closures, accidents or other difficulties that exist on the road can hamper a shipment and might delay a package.  
  
  However, with air shipping, there is virtually nothing that stands in the way of your package being delivered, on time, to its intended destination.

When Should You Use Air Shipping?

Air shipping may be a good option if you are moving long distance, relocating internationally, or need certain items delivered faster than standard ground or ocean shipping.

You may consider air shipping for:

• Important documents
• Electronics
• High-value personal items
• Time-sensitive belongings
• Perishable or temperature sensitive goods
• Essential items you need immediately after your move

Air shipping is usually best for smaller, valuable, or urgent items. For large furniture, appliances, or bulky household goods, ground or ocean shipping is often more cost-effective.

What Items Are Not Ideal for Air Shipping?

Although air shipping is fast, it is not the best choice for every item. Large, heavy, or bulky belongings can be expensive to ship by air because carriers often charge based on both weight and space.

Air shipping may not be ideal for:

• Large furniture
• Mattresses
• Appliances
• Heavy boxes
• Oversized household goods
• Low-value items that are not urgent

Some restricted or hazardous items may also be prohibited by air carriers, so always check the carrier’s rules before shipping.

Cons of Air Shipping 

With an operation that's as big and complicated as air shipping is, there are going to be a few flaws in the system that still need to be worked out, and there are going to be a few natural drawbacks. 

• More expensive: Air shipping tends to cost more money than other shipping methods. This is due to a number of factors, including the cost to fuel the cargo planes that carry these shipments each and every day. With gas prices being so high, the cost to run the planes has also gone up, increasing the price that many air shipping services charge customers.

Air shipping companies also realize that when people need to get a package to someone in a short amount of time, they have no choice but to ship their package by air, thus increasing the demand for the service and raising the price. 

• Limit on the size of packages you can ship:Because your packages are being shipped via cargo plane, there is a limited amount of space on each plane for shipments. Weight issues and space requirements set by the FAA for cargo planes tend to limit what you can and cannot ship by air. 
  
  The limitations are small, but they can pose a problem for people who need to ship large items. For those items, using ocean shipping may be a better route. 

• Bad weather: While this can also be a problem for ground shipping services, it's a bigger problem for air shipping. Airports tend to shut down service in cases of extreme inclement weather, which can delay shipments by up to a few days.  
  
  Ground shipping services aren't as dependent on good weather in order to make shipments, and thus major snowstorms that shut down airports can be a hindrance for air shipping services that rely on cargo planes. 

Takeaway 

• Air shipping is the fastest way to move goods over long distances.
• Fewer handling points reduce the risk of damage and loss. 
• It allows shipping of time-sensitive and perishable items. 
• Costs are higher compared to ground or ocean shipping methods. 
• Size, weight limits, and weather conditions can restrict shipments.

Before Choosing Air Shipping, Ask Yourself:

• How quickly do I need these items delivered?
• Are the items valuable, fragile, or time-sensitive?
• Can I afford the higher shipping cost?
• Are the items small enough to ship by air?
• Would ground or ocean shipping be more practical?
• Does the carrier allow these items on an aircraft?

Answering these questions can help you decide whether air shipping is the right choice for your move.