Tracking Air Freight Vs Tracking Ground Freight

For any type of shipping, it’s important to know how to keep track of your items once they’re passed on to a freight forwarder. This is true whether you’re most interested in tracking air freight or tracking ground freight.

That’s why we’ve broken down the processes for each below. By knowing how your shipments are tracked and how each method works, you’ll be better equipped to follow the progress of your goods throughout their journey.

Air Freight Tracking

• The cargo is picked up from the customer or dropped off at the freight forwarder.

• The details of the freight, like amount and condition, are confirmed and labelled accordingly.
• Once booking with an airline is confirmed, an air waybill number is assigned. This is the number you’ll typically use to track your shipments on an air carrier’s website.
• Cargo is then flown on the plane to its destination airport. If another forwarder is receiving the shipment, they will be given details about picking it up. It’s possible the shipment could remain in their warehouse for a short time.
• The shipment is either delivered to the recipient at a specific address, or the recipient picks it up.

Ground Freight Tracking

• The freight is dropped off by the customer, picked up by the ground carrier, or pulled from a warehouse.
• Cargo is sorted by varying criteria, which can include destination, size, type, etc.
• An assigned PRO number or a reference chosen by the customer can be used to track the package online.
• The cargo is driven to the destination warehouse and is prepared to either be released to the customer or delivered to the destination address.
• The shipment is either delivered to the recipient at the destination address or the customer can pick it up from the warehouse.

Learning more about where your items go once they leave your possession can shed more light on how they get to your recipient. By removing much of the mystery surrounding ground and air freight tracking, this information should give you more peace of mind about the trip your shipments take as well as help you keep up with where they are in transit from your door to their destination.

Want to learn more about how air freight can speed up your supply chain? Reach out to us online or call us at 214-373-1999