What is the difference between air freight and freight?

1, Definition of Air Transport and Freight Transport
Air transportation, also known as air transportation, refers to the process of using airplanes as transportation tools to transport goods or letters from one place to another. Air freight occupies an important position in the logistics field due to its fast and efficient characteristics, especially suitable for goods or letters with high time requirements.
Freight refers to the process of transporting goods from one place to another through land or water transportation vehicles. Freight transportation includes various modes such as road transportation, railway transportation, and waterway transportation, which have the characteristics of low transportation costs and wide applicability.
2, Transportation speed and efficiency
Air freight stands out in the logistics field due to its fast and efficient characteristics. The flight speed of airplanes far exceeds that of land and water transportation, allowing air transportation to deliver goods or letters to their destination in a short period of time. This makes air freight the preferred mode of transportation in fields such as cross-border trade and emergency document delivery.
In contrast, the transportation speed of freight is slower. Especially in waterway transportation, the transportation time is longer due to factors such as water flow speed and distance traveled. However, freight may have more advantages in certain situations, such as for bulk goods or items with low time requirements, freight can achieve the displacement of goods at a lower cost.
3, Transportation costs and prices
The transportation cost of air transportation is usually higher, mainly due to factors such as aircraft procurement, maintenance costs, and fuel consumption. In addition, air transportation also requires a series of additional fees such as airport usage fees and security checks, which increase the cost of air transportation. Therefore, air freight prices are relatively high and are mainly suitable for high-value, small batch, or extremely time demanding goods.
In contrast, the transportation cost of freight is lower. The cost of road and railway transportation is relatively low, especially for bulk goods and long-distance transportation. The cost of waterway transportation is even lower, especially for large goods and cross-border trade. This makes freight more competitive in price and has become the preferred mode of transportation for many businesses and individuals.
4, Scope and limitations of application
Air freight is suitable for situations where time requirements are extremely high, the value of goods is high, or the volume of goods is small. For example, urgent orders, high-value electronic products, precision instruments, etc. in cross-border trade often choose air transportation to ensure timely arrival and good condition of goods. In addition, air freight is also suitable for the transportation of some special goods, such as fresh perishable goods, dangerous goods, etc.
Freight transportation is suitable for various types of goods and transportation needs. Highway and railway transportation are suitable for medium and short distance transportation, especially for bulk and heavy goods. Waterway transportation is suitable for long-distance and large-scale transportation of goods, especially for bulk raw materials and finished products in cross-border trade. However, freight transportation may be restricted in certain situations, such as due to factors such as geographical and climatic conditions.