Air Freight Software For Forwarders: Features And Selection
Air freight software helps forwarding teams manage air cargo enquiries, airline or agent rates, customer offers, shipment references and operational updates. To choose a system, test how it calculates chargeable weight, applies weight breaks and surcharges, handles quote changes, carries the accepted details into booking, and reports events for your airlines and routes. Confirm which steps are native to the product and which require a TMS, carrier feed or other integration.
Air freight software helps forwarding teams manage air cargo enquiries, airline or agent rates, customer offers, shipment references and operational updates. To choose a system, test how it calculates chargeable weight, applies weight breaks and surcharges, handles quote changes, carries the accepted details into booking, and reports events for your airlines and routes. Confirm which steps are native to the product and which require a TMS, carrier feed or other integration.
Answer in brief: Start with one real air shipment and test pricing, revision, documentation and a disrupted connection from start to finish. A feature list alone cannot show whether the system preserves the right cargo details and commercial terms at every handoff.
What does air freight software do?
Air freight software organizes the commercial and operational information needed to arrange shipments by air.
A forwarder may use it to review airline or agent rates, prepare an offer, pass accepted shipment details into an operational system and coordinate customer updates.
Different products cover different parts of this process. An airline cargo system, a forwarder’s TMS and a rate-management platform can all support air cargo, but they serve different users and responsibilities.
Start by identifying the work your team needs to complete and which system will maintain each record.
Air freight software requirements at a glance
Use a checklist based on your actual services, cargo types and operational responsibilities.
| Requirement | What to evaluate | What to demonstrate |
|---|---|---|
| Airline and agent rates | Rate sources, service conditions and validity | Compare offers covering the same shipment scope |
| Weight-based pricing | Weight breaks, minimum charges and applicable calculation rules | Price a shipment near a tariff threshold |
| Cargo details | Pieces, dimensions, gross weight and handling requirements | Revise dimensions after the initial enquiry |
| Quote preparation | Inclusions, exclusions, expiry and approval | Issue a revised offer while preserving the earlier version |
| Routing | Direct or connecting services and relevant transport legs | Change an onward connection |
| Shipment references | Booking, master and house references where required | Retrieve related records without duplicating the shipment |
| Documents | Supported documents, revisions and access | Correct a document and identify the current version |
| Milestones | Shipment-event sources and coverage | Investigate an arrival update with incomplete cargo receipt |
| Exceptions | Ownership and follow-up | Assign a missing-document or connection issue |
| Integration | Data exchange with TMS, CRM and accounting systems | Demonstrate a failed update and its recovery |
Confirm whether each requirement is included, provided by a separate module or dependent on an integration.
Air Freight Software Selection Criteria
The best fit depends on your cargo mix and the work your team performs. Ask vendors to use your tariff and a representative shipment, then record both the result and any manual correction.
| Criterion | What the system needs to handle | Demo test and decision evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Chargeable weight | Pieces, dimensions, gross and volumetric weight, applicable divisor, rounding and units | Change one piece’s dimensions. Show the chargeable weight before and after and the rule used. |
| Airline and agent tariffs | Weight breaks, minimum charges, service conditions, currency and validity | Rate the same shipment near a break and show why the chosen charge applies. |
| Complete sell price | Freight, fuel, security, screening, handling, pickup and delivery where in scope | Show each charge’s source, calculation basis and whether it is included, estimated or missing. |
| Routing and timing | Direct versus connecting options, acceptance cut-offs and service conditions | Compare offers with different connections without treating an indicative schedule as booked capacity. |
| Cargo suitability | Dimensions, weight, commodity and special handling information | Flag a shipment that needs an operational review rather than silently returning an eligible price. |
| Commercial controls | Quote expiry, customer rules, approvals and revisions | Update the dimensions after sending and show the old, new and accepted quote versions. |
| AWB and document data | Master and house air waybill references where required; document owner and current version | Show the references and which system creates or stores each document. Do not assume e-AWB connectivity. |
| Shipment events | Airline, handler or tracking feed coverage, timestamp, source and exception ownership | Show a connection change or partial movement and the next responsible action. |
| Integration and cost | CRM, TMS and accounting handoffs; coverage and charges for third-party services | Show which system owns each record, how a failed sync is recovered, and the full cost of required modules. |
Digital air cargo standards such as e-AWB and ONE Record provide useful questions about data exchange. Ask for the exact supported workflow, parties, routes and activation requirements; a reference to a standard is not proof of live coverage.
Manage airline rates with their conditions
An air-freight rate must remain connected to the conditions that make it applicable.
Preserve the origin and destination airports, supplier, service, currency, validity, weight breaks, minimum charges and relevant restrictions. Include routing and commodity conditions where supplied.
Base freight, fuel, security, handling and documentation charges may use different calculation rules. Check each charge’s unit, minimum and inclusion before comparing offers.
Support weight breaks and minimum charges
Software should apply the tariff rules associated with the selected service. Ask the vendor to demonstrate:
- A shipment below a minimum-charge threshold.
- A shipment near a weight-break boundary.
- Different calculation bases for individual charges.
- Revised dimensions or weight after the first quote.
- The treatment of rounding and tariff exceptions.
Where a tariff allows rating at a higher weight break, test how that rule is applied and explained. Do not assume that every supplier uses the same method.
For the underlying calculations, see how air freight pricing works.
Worked Example: A Dimension Change Before The Quote Is Sent
Illustrative test data, not a carrier tariff: Two identical cartons each measure 100 × 80 × 60 cm. Together they occupy 0.96 m³ and weigh 120 kg gross. If the applicable tariff uses a 6,000 cm³/kg divisor and no additional rounding changes the result, volumetric weight is (2 × 100 × 80 × 60) ÷ 6,000 = 160 kg. The higher of gross and volumetric weight is 160 kg.
Now change each carton’s height to 75 cm. The two cartons occupy 1.20 m³. On the same illustrative divisor, volumetric weight becomes 200 kg, exceeding the unchanged 120 kg gross weight. Ask the software vendor to show the recalculated chargeable weight, applicable weight break and revised freight and surcharge lines. The quote revision should identify what changed.
Actual divisors, rounding methods, minimums, break rules and charge bases depend on the supplier and tariff. Keep the pricing formula explanation on the air freight pricing page; this software guide tests whether the application applies the relevant rules transparently.
Compare air-freight offers on equal terms
The lowest displayed rate per kilogram may not produce the lowest total cost or meet the customer’s timing requirements.
| Comparison point | Question to resolve |
|---|---|
| Service scope | Does the offer cover airport-to-airport transport or additional collection and delivery? |
| Routing | Is the movement direct or dependent on a connection? |
| Charges | Which surcharges and local services are included? |
| Cargo suitability | Do the dimensions, weight and handling requirements meet the service conditions? |
| Validity | Which booking, acceptance or departure conditions apply? |
| Availability | Is the option an indicative offer or a confirmed booking? |
| Timing | Which milestones does the quoted transit estimate describe? |
Keep unavailable information visible. A missing destination charge should not automatically become a zero-cost item.
Explore VelocityOS rate management when evaluating how rates and conditions can be organized for quoting.
Compare Two Air Service Options
A forwarder receives an urgent airport-to-airport enquiry. Option A is a direct movement with an earlier acceptance cut-off; Option B connects through another airport and has a lower indicative freight rate. Both options are hypothetical.
Before choosing, the software should help the team compare the same cargo dimensions and chargeable weight, freight and applicable surcharges, total customer-facing price, rate validity, routing, cut-off and estimated milestones. An incomplete charge or unconfirmed connection must remain visible. When the customer requests collection and final delivery, the revised offer should show those services and a new total rather than carrying forward the airport-to-airport scope.
What to ask in the demo: Show the original and revised customer offers, identify the accepted version, then show whether a changed connection updates the operational record and prompts the right customer action. Do not equate a quoted routing or accepted offer with an airline-confirmed booking.
Connect the enquiry to the booking handoff
A complete request gives pricing and operations a consistent starting point.
Capture the shipment’s airports or collection and delivery locations, piece count, dimensions, gross weight, cargo description and required timing. Record relevant handling needs and unresolved questions.
Once the customer accepts an offer, pass the agreed details into the operational workflow.
| Stage | Information to preserve | Check before proceeding |
|---|---|---|
| Enquiry review | Cargo, locations, timing and service scope | Are essential details missing? |
| Pricing | Rate source, charge basis and conditions | Is the offer applicable to this shipment? |
| Quote issue | Customer price, exclusions and expiry | Has the offer received the required review? |
| Acceptance | Accepted version and customer instructions | Do the shipment details still match the offer? |
| Booking handoff | Operational requirements and references | What remains subject to carrier confirmation? |
| Execution | Documents, updates and exceptions | Who owns the next action? |
Quote acceptance and carrier booking confirmation are separate events. The workflow should distinguish them clearly.
See freight quote management for the commercial process.
Test The Document And Event Handoff
Air cargo can involve a booking reference, master air waybill, house air waybill and other supporting documents. Ask which system owns each record and when the references become available. Then test a correction: change one cargo detail after quote acceptance, identify which documents need review, and show the latest approved value to the pricing and operations teams.
For visibility, request an event from an actual connected airline or handler and inspect its timestamp, source and shipment reference. If one of four pieces moves on a later flight, the update should identify the affected pieces or indicate that piece-level data is unavailable. Confirm who investigates the exception and how the customer is informed. A reported departure does not establish final delivery.
Keep documents and shipment references connected
Air-freight operations can involve multiple related references. Where your business uses master and house air waybills, test how the proposed software preserves those relationships.
Confirm whether the system creates a document, exchanges structured information or simply stores an attachment. These are different capabilities.
For document handling, ask how users:
- Identify the latest version.
- Correct inaccurate information.
- Find related shipment records.
- Share documents with authorized parties.
- Trace a change to its source.
Verify electronic document exchange and partner coverage separately. The ability to store an air waybill PDF does not establish electronic air waybill messaging capability.
Track cargo milestones as well as flight movements
A flight movement alone does not confirm that every piece in a shipment moved with it. Forwarders need shipment-level information where available, especially when cargo travels in parts.
| Update | What to verify | Operational follow-up |
|---|---|---|
| Cargo receipt | Received pieces and recorded weight | Investigate discrepancies before departure |
| Departure | Shipment reference, leg and reported pieces | Check whether the full shipment moved |
| Connection update | Arrival and onward movement information | Confirm the next leg where necessary |
| Arrival | Destination milestone and cargo coverage | Check handling and availability |
| Cargo availability | Which collection conditions have been met | Review remaining release requirements |
| Delivery | Confirmation and supporting record | Close outstanding operational actions |
Separate planned, estimated and actual events. Record the source and update time, and investigate missing information before concluding that cargo has been delayed.
Coverage and update frequency depend on connected providers. For a broader explanation, see freight tracking and exception workflows.
Worked example: handling a revised air shipment
The following example is hypothetical.
A forwarder receives an enquiry for several cartons travelling from Frankfurt to Dubai. After the initial quote, the customer confirms that the packed dimensions have changed.
| Step | Team action | What the software should preserve |
|---|---|---|
| Initial enquiry | Record the supplied cargo details | Original inputs and unresolved questions |
| Revised dimensions | Recheck the applicable pricing and service conditions | Updated measurements and calculation basis |
| Quote revision | Explain changes to the customer | New version and relationship to the original offer |
| Acceptance | Confirm the customer accepted the revised scope | Accepted version and instructions |
| Booking | Complete the operational checks | Carrier confirmation and shipment references |
| Partial movement reported | Verify which pieces departed | Reported piece counts and outstanding cargo |
| Customer update | Explain confirmed progress and next steps | Source information and responsible owner |
This tests more than quote generation. It shows whether the system keeps pricing changes, operational information and customer communication connected.
What can AI assist with?
AI can help extract information from rate files or customer enquiries and prepare structured drafts. It should be evaluated separately from tariff calculations and confirmed operational events.
Check whether the workflow identifies missing fields, preserves source information and allows a person to correct an interpretation before it affects a quote.
Measure total processing time, including review and corrections. Confirm the available capabilities for your implementation rather than assuming that every air-freight task is automated.
For related use cases, explore AI for freight forwarders.
Choose the right integration scope
Decide which system owns customer records, quote versions, bookings, documents and financial information.
A connected setup may retain the TMS as the operational record while another platform supports rates, customer offers and selected visibility workflows.
Confirm identifiers, synchronization direction and failure handling. Review what VelocityOS can sync when defining the proposed connection.
Air Freight Demo Scorecard
Use one enquiry, tariff and shipment record from your own operation. Score each item demonstrated, requires configuration, requires another system, or unsupported:
- Recalculate chargeable weight after changing dimensions.
- Apply the correct weight break, minimum and charge bases from your tariff.
- Compare direct and connecting options on the same scope and validity.
- Show a missing charge or cargo restriction before sending a quote.
- Produce a revised offer and retain the accepted version.
- Link operational references and documents without duplicating the shipment.
- Show the source and age of an actual shipment event; assign a connection exception.
- Demonstrate the TMS handoff and a failed update recovery.
Record the licenses, feeds, implementation work and user steps required for the demonstrated workflow. If a capability depends on a particular airline or route, record that coverage explicitly.
For a demonstration of rate selection, customer quotes and follow-up, explore VelocityOS Quote Management. Confirm the airline integrations and operational scope required for your implementation.
Frequently Asked Questions
It should capture the shipment’s pieces, dimensions and gross weight, apply the relevant tariff’s chargeable-weight and weight-break rules, and show applicable surcharges and services. Confirm the supplier’s divisor, rounding and minimum-charge rules in the actual demonstration.
No. A customer-facing quote records a proposed service and price. Confirm airline acceptance, space, cut-offs and any required operational details through the applicable booking workflow.
That depends on your airlines, partners and digital-document requirements. Ask for the exact supported data exchange, routes, participating parties and integration scope rather than relying on a feature label.
It should preserve the original plan, identify the new source and milestone, assign follow-up and make clear which pieces and customer commitments are affected. Coverage depends on the event feeds available for your shipments.