Integrators sell door-to-door delivery
Express networks collect the parcel, route it through hubs, fly it and deliver it to the final address under one service commitment.
Traditional freight is often brokered by forwarders
Freight forwarders consolidate shipments from many customers and purchase space from cargo or passenger airlines rather than necessarily operating aircraft themselves.
Time guarantees shape the network
Express carriers build tight overnight schedules around next-day delivery promises, while general cargo can allow more flexible routings and transit times.
Shipment profiles differ
Documents and e-commerce parcels fit naturally into express networks, while machinery, bulk pallets and specialized industrial freight often move through conventional forwarding channels.
Passenger belly capacity is important to general cargo
Traditional air freight uses substantial lower-deck space on passenger flights, something an integrated express network may rely on less heavily.
Both models overlap
Large integrators also carry heavyweight freight, and traditional forwarders can buy premium time-definite services. The distinction is about network control more than a strict type of shipment.
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