Do you get price advantages when booking far in advance? Are there problems when booking at very short notice? These are questions that are important for your business planning – but unfortunately cannot be answered quite so simply with a “yes” or “no.”

Unlike passenger flight tickets, air freight has no fixed tariffs that can be planned months in advance – instead, prices fluctuate daily based on available cargo space and current demand.

Standard bookings on main routes

For standard shipments on established routes, booking 2-5 business days in advance is usually completely sufficient. Imagine you regularly ship spare parts from Frankfurt to New York: here you can normally obtain capacity even at short notice, as this route is served multiple times daily.

Freight forwarders usually have good allocations with various airlines on such main routes and can react flexibly.

For these routine shipments, you often even benefit from later bookings, as airlines sometimes offer remaining capacity at more favorable rates just before departure. Your freight forwarder can utilize these last-minute offers and pass cost advantages on to you.

Peak season and capacity shortage periods

During certain periods, you should book significantly earlier. The pre-Christmas period, Chinese New Year, or the beginning of the main export season from Asia in September lead to considerable capacity shortages. Let’s say you need to import goods from Shanghai in November: without timely booking 3-4 weeks in advance, you can expect both significantly higher prices and delays.

Similarly critical are periods after holidays or after political events that affect air traffic. After the reopening of trade routes or after extended operational interruptions at major airports, demand increases dramatically.

Special transports: dangerous goods, cold chain & more

Shipments with special requirements generally need longer lead times. Dangerous goods, temperature-controlled transports, or oversized cargo require special capacities and permits.

Example: Pharmaceutical products that must be transported at a constant 2–8°C. Here, only certain airlines with appropriate equipment are suitable, and you should book at least 1-2 weeks in advance.

It becomes particularly complex with shipments that are both temperature-controlled and classified as dangerous goods. Such combinations can require lead times of 3-4 weeks, as only few specialized providers master these services.

Secondary routes and exotic destinations

On less frequent routes or for direct connections to smaller airports, you should expect longer booking lead times. Imagine you need to ship machinery directly to Lagos or Almaty: here perhaps only 2-3 airlines fly per week, and available capacities are quickly booked up. Booking 2-3 weeks in advance gives you significantly more security in schedule planning.

For such routes, it also makes sense to check alternative routings via hubs. Your freight forwarder can evaluate whether a connecting flight via Dubai or Istanbul might be available faster than a rare direct connection.

Size and weight: lead time requirements for large shipments

The size of your shipment also influences how early you should book. Small packages up to 100 kg practically always find space at short notice, as they can utilize airlines’ remaining capacity. With larger shipments from 500 kg onwards, it becomes more difficult, and you should plan at least one week lead time.

It becomes really critical with shipments over 2-3 tons. The corresponding cargo space is very likely not available overnight. Such transports often require 4-6 weeks lead time for complete planning and implementation.

Book early or stay flexible?

When deciding on booking timing, you must balance flexibility and planning security.

Early bookings give you schedule guarantees and often better pricing conditions, but limit your flexibility. Late bookings allow you to react to market changes, but carry the risk of capacity shortages.

A proven strategy is staggered booking: reserve rough capacity early for important shipments and specify details only closer to the shipping date. Many freight forwarders offer such flexible booking models that give you both security and adaptation possibilities.

How booking time influences costs

Booking time has a direct impact on your transport costs. Very early bookings 4-6 weeks in advance enable freight forwarders to secure favorable allocations and pass these advantages on to you. On the other hand, you can benefit from overcapacity with last-minute bookings when airlines release cargo space at short notice.

The most expensive transports typically arise from medium-term bookings 3-7 days in advance during peak season. Here the planning time for favorable alternatives has already expired, but the time for last-minute bargains has not yet come.

Optimizing communication with freight forwarders

Open communication with your freight forwarder about your planning horizons helps both sides. Share early which shipments are coming up in the following weeks, even if details are not yet finalized.

Your freight forwarder learns over time about your industry, your supply chains, and your critical deadlines – this knowledge becomes a valuable asset. As a regular customer, you benefit from preferential treatment during capacity shortages, better pricing conditions through framework agreements, and direct access to experienced dispatchers who know your company-specific requirements perfectly.

Recommendations for different company types

For companies with regular, plannable shipments, building framework agreements with fixed capacity commitments is recommended. This gives you planning security and often better conditions.

Companies with irregular or project-based transports fare better with flexible individual bookings, but should plan longer lead times for critical shipments. Here too, a direct relationship with a freight forwarder you work with permanently pays off.

Startups and smaller companies without their own logistics experience should coordinate closely with their freight forwarder and utilize their market knowledge. Experienced freight forwarders can recommend optimal booking times for your specific routes and requirements and protect you from costly planning mistakes.

Conclusion

The optimal booking time for air freight depends on many factors: route availability, shipment type, season, and urgency. While short-notice booking on main routes is often no problem, special transports or peak seasons can present completely different requirements. Here you learn when it’s better to book early – and when flexibility is rewarded.

Shipment Type	Recommended Lead Time
Standard route, small shipment	2–5 business days
Peak season / Peak times	3–4 weeks
Dangerous goods / Temperature-controlled	1–4 weeks (depending on type)
Exotic destinations / Secondary routes	2–3 weeks
Shipments over 2 tons	4–6 weeks