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Cargo freighter aircraft being loaded at night with palletized freight for an international charter cargo departure.
Air Cargo

Dedicated air cargo charter built around your shipment

Describe the shipment once on the IONA JETS Platform: commodity, packaging, weight, dimensions, route, timing, documents and handling. Broker Partners specialized in air freight may review the details and prepare proposals. The availability and terms of any proposals depend on complete shipment information, broker participation, cargo acceptance, operational feasibility, customs and regulatory requirements and final confirmation.

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  • Worldwide broker network(1)
  • Compare available proposals(2)
  • Free request, no obligation(3)
  • Trustpilot
Logistics specialist checking an air cargo shipment before departure on a charter flight.

Cargo preparation and ground handling coordinated through final cargo acceptance.

On a cargo charter, most of the work happens before departure. The selected broker may coordinate collection, palletization, export documents, security screening and airport acceptance with freight forwarders, handlers and the proposed operator, where those services are available. Final acceptance, handling and loading then depend on the shipment details, airport infrastructure, applicable requirements and confirmation by the responsible providers.

Ground operations specialist on a high-loader platform loading heavy freight into a chartered freighter aircraft.

Specialized loading equipment and airside handling for complex cargo.

Some shipments will not move without high loaders, cranes, forklifts, rear ramps, nose-loading access or other specialist equipment. Once the cargo dimensions, weight, packaging and loading method are known, the selected broker may arrange the handling with the proposed operator and airport providers. Airside access, priority handling and equipment availability depend on airport rules, provider capacity, aircraft configuration and operational approval.

Boeing 777 freighter aircraft in flight during a global air cargo charter mission with landing gear extended.

Freighters matched to payload, dimensions, door access and temperature needs.

Options may range from small regional freighters to widebody aircraft with nose-loading or rear-ramp access. Broker Partners may put forward aircraft whose door dimensions, floor strength, temperature-management capability or restraint systems fit the load; the operator confirms suitability and availability after its own technical review. Cargo acceptance also depends on packaging, documentation, route restrictions, airport capability and applicable requirements.

Last-mile logistics manager supervising the final delivery of an air cargo shipment.

Coordinated customs support, storage and onward delivery to the final address.

The flight is often just one link in a longer chain. Within the agreed scope, the selected broker may coordinate customs support, storage, trucking or onward logistics through identified providers. Share the consignee, customs contacts, delivery address, timing dependencies and document status early, and the handover from aircraft to truck or warehouse is far easier to plan; each provider still confirms its own service and responsibilities.

Air cargo solutions for different commodities, routes and urgency levels.

Each air cargo category has its own page covering the aircraft involved, handling requirements, documentation and what to check before booking. Whether the shipment is general freight, an urgent AOG part, humanitarian aid, pharmaceutical cold chain, dangerous goods, perishables, heavy or outsize cargo, or live animals, participating Broker Partners may draw on their freight experience and operator relationships to prepare proposals.

One cargo request, from origin planning to final delivery.

Air cargo charter can give a shipment dedicated capacity when scheduled services cannot handle its dimensions, timing, routing or handling needs. You file one detailed request on the IONA JETS Platform, and participating Broker Partners may assess aircraft, routing and provider options for the movement. Whether proposals come back, and how many, depends on broker participation, complete shipment information, aircraft and crew availability, airport capability, permits, customs requirements and operator acceptance. Once you select a proposal, the selected broker coordinates the agreed scope with the proposed operator and other contracted providers.

  • Standard and urgent freight: General cargo may move on a dedicated freighter when its volume, timing, routing or handling needs justify chartering. For time-critical shipments, brokers may look at direct charter or, for smaller eligible consignments, an onboard courier where that works operationally. Either way, aircraft positioning, crew availability, cargo readiness, airport operating hours, customs requirements and permits all come into play, and no dispatch or delivery time is guaranteed until the relevant contracting parties and service providers confirm it.
  • Humanitarian, temperature-managed and regulated cargo: Aid movements remain subject to permits, airport access, local infrastructure and security conditions. Pharmaceutical and healthcare shipments may call for validated packaging, defined temperature ranges, monitoring, qualified providers and procedures aligned with applicable Good Distribution Practice requirements. Dangerous goods must be correctly classified, packed, marked, labeled and documented by the responsible parties under applicable rules, including the IATA DGR and ICAO Technical Instructions where relevant. Perishables and agricultural products may need temperature management, phytosanitary documents and border inspections.
  • Heavy and outsize cargo and live animals: Oversized machinery and project cargo may call for engineering studies, load plans, the right loading equipment and an aircraft with suitable door, floor and restraint capability. Final loading, restraint, mass-and-balance and operational decisions rest with the operator and the handling teams on the ground. Live-animal movements require species-appropriate containers, welfare planning, health documentation and compliance with applicable state, operator and IATA LAR requirements, plus CITES permits or certificates where protected species are involved. Animal acceptance and routing remain subject to operator approval and the relevant authorities.
  1. 01One requestSubmit the shipment details once
  2. 02Vetted broker networkParticipating cargo brokers may respond
  3. 03Compare proposalsReview aircraft, routing and terms
  4. 04Select and finalizeThe selected broker completes the arrangements

From request to delivery: how air cargo charter works through the platform.

Submit the shipment profile and supporting documents through the cargo request form. Participating Broker Partners may prepare proposals setting out the aircraft, routing, contracting parties, included services, assumptions, exclusions and price. Select one and the broker behind it coordinates the agreed scope with the proposed operator and the identified providers. Responsibility for cargo acceptance, loading, restraint, flight operations, customs decisions and delivery remains with the relevant operators, handlers, authorities and contracted providers.

  • Coordinated logistics: Within the agreed scope, the selected broker may coordinate warehouse collection, freight forwarding, security screening, palletization, export customs support, airport acceptance, loading support, flight monitoring, import clearance and onward delivery through the operator and contracted providers. Multimodal movements may also involve trucking, bonded storage and transfer handling. Each provider answers for the services it performs, and decisions taken by customs or other authorities are outside the control of IONA JETS and the broker.
  • Regulatory requirements: The client or shipper must give accurate information on the commodity, value, origin, destination, packaging, dimensions, weight and any regulated characteristics. The selected broker raises those requirements with the proposed operator and the logistics providers involved, which decide cargo acceptance and the documents required. Depending on the shipment, that can mean dangerous-goods or live-animal rules, Good Distribution Practice, phytosanitary controls, customs formalities, CITES documentation and security screening. No single standard applies automatically to every operator, provider or shipment.
  • Cargo charter pricing: The total price may reflect the aircraft and its positioning sectors, payload, route, fuel stops, permits, airport and cargo handling, security screening, customs support, specialist loading equipment, temperature management and onward transport. Participating brokers price independently and may itemize exactly what their proposal covers. The relevant contracting party confirms the final scope and price. The number and format of proposals are not guaranteed. Compare each option based on the services, exclusions and assumptions it includes.

Frequently asked questions about air cargo charter and freight logistics.

Planning an air cargo charter or considering dedicated freight capacity for the first time? The answers below explain how urgent requests, aircraft selection, customs coordination and regulated or sensitive cargo are handled through the IONA JETS Platform and its broker network.

Some urgent cargo charters may be arranged at short notice, but timing depends on aircraft positioning, crew availability, airport operating hours, cargo readiness, customs requirements, permits, security screening and any dangerous-goods or special-handling documentation. No specific response, dispatch or delivery time is guaranteed. Once you select a proposal, that broker coordinates the remaining requirements with the proposed operator and other contracted providers, then confirms the operational timeline.

Options may include aircraft with rear ramps, side cargo doors, nose-loading access, reinforced floors or other configurations built for heavy and outsize cargo. Which aircraft fits depends on the cargo dimensions, weight, center of gravity, loading method, route and airport infrastructure. The selected broker coordinates the technical details with the proposed operator and handling providers. Engineering studies, load plans and specialized loading equipment may be required, and aircraft availability is not guaranteed.

Within the agreed scope, the selected broker may coordinate customs support and ground transportation through freight forwarders, customs agents, handlers and transport providers. The paperwork may include an air waybill, commercial invoice, packing list, export or import declarations and commodity-specific permits or certificates. The client or shipper remains responsible for providing accurate shipment information and documents. Customs clearance and cargo release are carried out or determined by the relevant providers and authorities, not by IONA JETS.

Requirements vary by commodity. Pharmaceuticals may call for temperature control and Good Distribution Practice procedures. Dangerous goods must be classified, packed and documented under the IATA DGR or other applicable rules. Live animals require IATA LAR planning, health documents and, for protected species, CITES permits. IONA JETS reviews and verifies broker partners before admitting them to its network, and the selected broker sources and vets the operator and coordinates providers. Acceptance, handling, loading and security remain with the operator and contracted handlers. Additional safeguards remain subject to availability and confirmation.

IONA JETS acts solely as a Swiss digital referral platform connecting clients with independent air charter brokers for air cargo charter requests. IONA JETS is not an air charter broker, air carrier, aircraft operator, freight forwarder, customs broker or ground-handling provider, does not hold an Air Operator Certificate and does not operate flights, transport cargo, perform cargo handling or provide customs clearance. IONA JETS reviews and verifies broker partners before they join its network, but does not directly source, select or verify individual aircraft operators or other downstream providers. Operator sourcing, the checks the selected broker applies to the proposed operator and the coordination of the providers included within the agreed scope fall within that broker's own responsibility and procedures. IONA JETS does not supervise those checks. The client or shipper remains responsible for providing complete and accurate information and documentation concerning the cargo, including its nature, value, dimensions, weight, packaging, origin, destination and any regulated characteristics. The descriptions on this page are general and do not guarantee that a particular aircraft, payload, route, schedule, loading method, airport facility, temperature range, monitoring service, customs outcome, permit, security measure, onward-transport service or other feature will be available for a specific request. All services remain subject to broker participation, operator and provider availability, complete shipment information, cargo acceptance, operational feasibility, airport capability, customs and regulatory requirements, permits, local conditions and confirmation during the booking process. Cargo acceptance, loading, restraint, mass and balance, flight operations, handling, customs services and other transport-related obligations and liabilities remain with the contractual party or parties identified in the booking documentation, which may include the selected broker, aircraft operator, freight forwarder, customs agent, handling provider or another identified entity. (1) References to the worldwide broker network describe the aggregate geographic reach of independent broker partners and do not guarantee broker participation, aircraft access, provider access or service availability for every shipment. (2) The number of proposals received, their timing, scope and terms depend on broker participation, shipment feasibility, aircraft and provider availability, cargo acceptance, regulatory requirements and market conditions and are not guaranteed. (3) IONA JETS is remunerated by partner brokers when a referred request results in a confirmed booking. Clients using the standard referral service are not charged a platform fee by IONA JETS, and submitting a cargo request does not commit them to booking. *Cashback is available only on bookings that meet the applicable program conditions.