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Air Freight · San Diego & Otay Mesa

International Air Shipping and Customs Clearance When the Cargo Cannot Wait

Air freight import and export handled airport-to-door, with customs clearance filed in step so your shipment moves the moment it lands. Bilingual brokers who work both sides of the San Diego border.

What it is

What International Air Shipping Involves

International air shipping moves cargo by aircraft under a master and house air waybill, then hands it to customs for clearance before it can be released. The freight side and the customs side are two separate jobs, and a plane can land on time only to sit in a bonded warehouse for days because the entry was not ready. We run both together, so your ACE entry is filed against the air waybill and any ISF or PGA requirements are cleared before the flight arrives.

Air is the mode you pick when time is worth more than the freight rate, so a slow clearance defeats the entire reason you paid for it. Missing paperwork, an FDA or USDA hold, or a duty question that surfaces at the last minute can add storage fees and burn the schedule advantage you bought. Getting the classification, valuation, and admissibility right before wheels-down is what keeps air freight actually fast.

What’s included

  • Air freight import and export coordination, inbound and outbound through San Diego and Southern California gateways
  • Airport-to-door delivery arranged from the arrival airport to your dock, warehouse, or facility
  • Master and house air waybill review to confirm consignee, terms, and cargo details match the entry
  • ACE customs entry filed and pre-cleared so cargo releases without warehouse dwell
  • Air consolidations and deconsolidation handled for smaller shipments moving under a single master air waybill
  • Expedited and time-critical handling for AOG parts, perishables, and next-flight-out freight
  • PGA coordination for FDA, USDA, and other agency holds before the shipment lands
  • HTS classification, duty and tax calculation, and customs bond coverage for the entry
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How it works

How we handle it

Send us the shipment details

Share the air waybill, commercial invoice, and packing list. We confirm the HTS classification, check for any FDA, USDA, or other PGA flags, and tell you the duty and admissibility picture up front, not after it lands.

We prepare the clearance before arrival

We file the ACE entry against the air waybill and stage any partner-government agency paperwork so CBP and the airline are ready. If a customs bond is needed, we put it in place so nothing stalls at the counter.

Cargo lands and clears

On arrival we work the release with CBP and the airline, resolve any exam or hold quickly, and get the freight out of the bonded facility instead of racking up storage. You get status as it moves, not silence.

Airport-to-door delivery

We arrange trucking from the airport to your door and confirm delivery. One brokerage owns the shipment end to end, so there is no gap between the freight side and the customs side.

Related services

Everything around your shipment

Questions, answered

International Air Shipping FAQ

Can you clear my air shipment before the flight actually lands?

Yes. Once we have the air waybill and commercial documents we prepare and file the ACE entry ahead of arrival, so in most cases cargo is ready to release when the plane lands. Pre-clearing is the whole point of moving by air, and it is what keeps your shipment out of the bonded warehouse.

What is the difference between the master air waybill and the house air waybill?

The master air waybill is issued by the airline for the physical movement of the freight. The house air waybill is issued by the forwarder or consolidator to you, the actual shipper or consignee, and it reflects your specific cargo inside a larger consolidation. We work from the house air waybill to file your entry, and we confirm the two documents agree before anything clears.

Do air shipments still need an ISF filing?

No. ISF, the Importer Security Filing also called 10+2, applies to ocean cargo only. Air freight is not subject to ISF, but it does carry its own advance data requirements through the airline and CBP, and any FDA or USDA product still needs that agency cleared. We handle those so the exemption does not become a surprise hold.

How do you handle a time-critical or AOG shipment?

For next-flight-out freight, AOG aircraft parts, or perishables, we treat the clearance as the clock it is. We line up the entry and any PGA paperwork in advance, monitor the flight, and work the release the moment cargo is available so the time you paid for at the airline counter is not lost at customs.

Do I need a customs bond for an air freight import?

Any formal customs entry into the U.S. requires a bond, regardless of whether the cargo arrives by air, ocean, or truck. You can use a single-entry bond for a one-off shipment or a continuous bond if you import regularly, which is usually cheaper across a year. We will tell you which one fits your volume and put it in place before your cargo arrives.

Get your free quote

Let’s move your cargo.

Send your shipment details and a bilingual broker responds fast, usually within one business day.

858-225-7014

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