Air Cargo Charters Are Booming: Emirates Flew 800+ in Six Months, How Forwarders Should Respond

The Core Question

Charters are shifting from an emergency tool to a regular option. Emirates SkyCargo flew more than 800 charter flights in the first half of 2026, mainly carrying AI servers, tech product launches, pharmaceuticals, and e-commerce cargo. IATA data shows non-scheduled freight's share of total air cargo rose from 15% in 2019 to about 20% in 2023, growing roughly 5% annually. For forwarders, this means two things: urgent, large, and special cargo now has a new capacity outlet, and charter quoting and resource integration capability are becoming new competitive advantages.

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Why Charters Are Booming: Three Drivers

First, supply chain instability. Red Sea rerouting, port congestion, and production delays mean shippers cannot rely entirely on scheduled flights — charters become the fallback option. Second, urgent demand is normalizing. Tech product launches and e-commerce restocks cannot wait; shippers pay more to arrive on time. Third, new cargo types have emerged. AI servers and data center equipment are high-value, highly time- and safety-sensitive cargo that charts are well suited for.

One easily overlooked detail: after the pandemic, medical cargo charters declined, but total charter volume did not drop — it rose. This shows charter demand has shifted from "emergency" to "normalized," an industry-level change, not a passing fad.

What Cargo Flies Charter: Five Categories

Based on public information from Emirates SkyCargo and MSC Air Cargo, charter volume concentrates in five categories: AI servers and high-tech components (the fastest-growing new cargo type); oil, gas and aerospace equipment (large, high-value); pharmaceuticals and temperature-controlled cargo (time-sensitive); automotive parts (rigid production schedules); and e-commerce (seasonal pulse demand). Over the past two years, e-commerce has been a major charter growth driver, especially in peak season. For cross-border e-commerce logistics forwarders, charter resources are "ammunition" in Q4.

Also, charter players are multiplying. Previously dominated by large carriers like Emirates and Qatar, now ocean carriers like MSC are entering air cargo charters — MSC Air Cargo has taken delivery of its first owned Boeing 777 freighter, moving from pure ACMI leasing to self-operation. Ocean giants entering signals long-term confidence in the charter market.

Charter Pricing: No Public Rates, High Volatility

Unlike scheduled flights, charters have no public rates. Price depends on route heat, capacity tightness, fuel prices, and season. The same route can cost twice as much in peak versus off-peak season. When quoting charter to customers, confirm three things: when it flies, what aircraft, and what cargo attributes (dangerous goods, temperature control, overweight all add cost). Quote validity is short — generally based on same-day inquiry.

Three Implications for Forwarders

First, charter capability is a new selling point. When a customer asks whether urgent cargo can make it, having charter channels is differentiation. For time-critical cargo, compare charter versus scheduled flights on price gap and space guarantee first, rather than only quoting standard routes.

Second, charters are quote-on-demand and test resource integration. With no public rates and high volatility, forwarder value lies in quickly securing real capacity and prices — this requires long-maintained carrier relationships, not last-minute hunting.

Third, don't focus only on big customers. Charters are not exclusive to large forwarders; co-loading and shared charters among small and mid-sized shippers are increasingly common. Forwarders can package charters as "consolidated charter products" to lower the threshold and serve urgent needs of smaller customers.

FAQ

Q: What cargo suits charters?

A: Urgent cargo (restocks, product launches), high-value cargo (AI servers, pharmaceuticals), oversized cargo (oil & gas equipment, aerospace), and peak-season e-commerce. Shippers with time sensitivity and willingness to pay for certainty are the best fit.

Q: How much more expensive are charters than scheduled flights?

A: There is no fixed gap; it depends on route, season, and capacity. In peak season charters can cost twice as much; in off-peak the gap narrows. Quote based on same-day inquiry.

Q: Can small and mid-sized shippers use charters?

A: Yes. Consolidation and shared charters are increasingly common — several shippers co-load one aircraft to split costs. Ask forwarders with charter resources about consolidated options.

Q: Will the charter market stay hot?

A: Demand has shifted from "emergency" to "normalized," and new cargo types like AI servers are emerging. The charter market is expected to keep strengthening. Forwarders should build charter resources early.

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Shanghai Naili Information Technology Co., Ltd. (Naili AI Logistics Lab) has focused on digital marketing for freight forwarders for 10 years. We provide full-service forwarding marketing department outsourcing, including AI implementation, GEO optimization and website redesign. We help forwarders build AI quoting assistants, customer service assistants, AI daily briefings and sales AI, always starting from real business scenarios.