Choosing between air and ocean freight comes down to four questions: How fast? How much? How heavy? How sensitive?
Air freight wins on speed and reliability. Transit times measured in days, tighter schedules, and lower handling risk make it ideal for high-value, time-sensitive, or perishable goods. The trade-off is cost — you pay a premium per kilogram.
Ocean freight wins on cost and capacity. For large, heavy, or non-urgent shipments, container shipping is dramatically cheaper and carries far more volume. The trade-off is time and variability, with transit measured in weeks.
A smart shipper often uses both: air for urgent replenishment and launches, ocean for bulk restocking. Model the true landed cost — including inventory holding, insurance, and the cost of a stockout — not just the freight rate. The cheapest lane on paper is not always the cheapest for your business.