One of the three largest US airline groups · the widest belly capacity network built on a passenger fleet
American Airlines was founded in 1930 and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. Its cargo division, American Airlines Cargo, builds on belly capacity in passenger aircraft and operates more than 6,700 passenger flights a day to over 350 destinations in more than 50 countries. We provide international air freight from Shanghai and other Chinese cities via Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) to major US cities and onward worldwide.
American Airlines, Inc. is the principal airline of American Airlines Group Inc. (Nasdaq: AAL) and is headquartered in the United StatesFort Worth, TexasIts brand history goes back to1930founded as American Airways and formally renamed American Airlines in 1934. One of the oldest carriers in the United States, American Airlines has taken part in almost every milestone of modern civil aviation: it was among the first to promote a frequent flyer programme, among the first to build a hub-and-spoke network, and among the first to offer next-day cargo service across the United States.
American Airlines Cargois the cargo division within American Airlines, responsible for cargo sales, booking, ground handling and customer service across the company. Its defining feature, and the clearest difference from dedicated cargo airlines, is thatAmerican Airlines operates no dedicated freighters at allIn 1984 the airline sold its last six Boeing 747 freighters, one of which was bought by NASA and converted into the carrier used to transport the Space Shuttle, and left freighter operations altogether. Since then all of its cargo capacity has been belly hold on passenger aircraft. The advantages of that model include:high route density, many daily frequencies, capacity released continuously with the passenger network, and a lighter unit cost structure.
By size, American Airlines is one of the largest airlines in the world. At mid-2026 its mainline fleet stood at about1,030 aircraft, of which widebodies137 aircraft, including 47 Boeing 777-200ER, 20 Boeing 777-300ER, 37 Boeing 787-8 and 33 Boeing 787-9. A further 19 Boeing 787-9 are on firm order with options on 28 more for future network growth. American Airlines operates more than6,700 flightsservingmore than 350 destinationsacrossmore than 50 countries and territoriesWeekly cargo capacity runs into tens of millions of tonne miles, making the airline an important supplier of capacity on trans-Pacific, transatlantic and Latin American routes.
In hub structure, American Airlines has the most complete multi-hub system in the industry. In Texas,Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)is its largest hub, with more than 1,500 departures a day and 208 destinations, and the main connecting point for Chinese cargo entering the United States;Miami International Airport (MIA)is the gateway to the Americas and the leading US cargo hub for Latin America; Charlotte (CLT), Chicago O'Hare (ORD), Philadelphia (PHL), Phoenix (PHX), Los Angeles (LAX), New York Kennedy (JFK) and Washington Reagan (DCA) are also important cargo points. American Airlines is also aoneworld alliancefounding member, and has joint business agreements with Japan Airlines (JAL) on Pacific routes and with British Airways and Iberia (IAG group) on Atlantic routes, which lets a single shipment stay on one air waybill through to more secondary cities.
On specialist capability, American Airlines Cargo has invested in pharmaceutical cold chain and life sciences for many years. Its ExpediteTC temperature-controlled product offers both active and passive solutions and holds IATACEIV Pharma certification for pharmaceutical logisticscovering the DFW, MIA and PHL hubs. For live animals, the American PetEmbark product draws on more than 65 years of handling experience. These capabilities let American Airlines Cargo carry pharmaceuticals, perishables and pets alongside consumer electronics and machinery.
American Airlines entered the mainland China market in 2006 with the Chicago to Shanghai route and has run widebody passenger services between China and the United States since, offering belly cargo capacity to Chinese shippers. In mainland China the airline now focuses onShanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG)Shanghai Pudong as its core operating point, with a daily widebody service from PVG to Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW); Chinese export cargo reaches the whole United States, Latin America and Europe with a single connection at DFW.
| Full company name | American Airlines, Inc. |
| Cargo department | American Airlines Cargo |
| Parent company | American Airlines Group Inc. (NASDAQ: AAL) |
| Country | United States |
| Founded | 1930 (renamed American Airlines in 1934) |
| Headquarters | Fort Worth, Texas, United States |
| IATA two-letter code | AA |
| ICAO code | AAL |
| Radio call sign | AMERICAN |
| Air waybill three-digit prefix | 001 |
| Fleet size | Mainline 1,030 aircraft (including 137 widebodies) |
| Dedicated freighter | None (freighter operations ended in 1984) |
| Main cargo hubs | DFW / MIA / PHL / CLT / ORD / LAX / JFK |
| Airline alliance | Founding member of oneworld |
| Core airport in China | Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) |
| Official lookup website | www.aacargo.com |
The airline code that IATA assigned to American Airlines isAAThe AA prefix customers see in flight numbers, such as AA128 Shanghai Pudong to Dallas/Fort Worth, comes from this code. In quotations, bookings, cargo documents and flight information, any flight number beginning with AA is operated by American Airlines.
The ICAO code isAALused mainly in air traffic control, flight plans and route requests. The American Airlines radio call sign isAMERICANwhich pilots and controllers use on the radio. Cargo customers rarely need it for booking, but it appears when checking flight operating status and aircraft stand information.
The three-digit air waybill (AWB) prefix of American Airlines is001Every air waybill issued by American Airlines begins with 001, written in the form001-XXXXXXXX001-xxxxxxxx (11 digits: 3-digit carrier prefix, 7-digit serial number and 1 check digit). This is the carrier identifier assigned by IATA for waybill identification, status tracking and freight settlement worldwide. A waybill number beginning with 001 confirms that American Airlines is the carrier.
Many customers wonder how the airline carries freight when they first hear that American Airlines has no freighters. The answer is thebelly hold modelA modern widebody has two through-loading cargo compartments under the main deck that take pallets, containers and loose cargo. American Airlines operates more than 6,700 flights a day, and every long-haul widebody flight releases substantial belly tonnage. Pooled across thousands of flights, that capacity forms a cargo network with very wide coverage and dense frequencies at almost no additional aircraft purchase cost.
The model brings three direct benefits.First, destination coverage is naturally widerCargo goes wherever the passenger aircraft goes, including many secondary cities that freighters do not serve;Second, frequencies are highmainline routes to Europe and North America mostly operate daily or several times a day, so cargo does not wait for a freighter flying twice a week;Third, the pricing structure is more flexiblebelly tonnage falls when load factors are high in peak season, but in low season the value is usually better than a freighter, especially for mid-sized lots of 50 kg to 500 kg. Belly capacity is also affected by passenger numbers, baggage weight, fuel load and temperature, so the usable tonnage of the same aircraft type varies by season. That is why a specialist forwarder secures space in advance at the booking stage.
| Aircraft type | In service | Cargo hold configuration | Belly payload (reference) | Typical range | Main role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boeing 787-9 | 33 aircraft (19 more on order) | Lower-deck belly hold, takes LD3 containers and pallets | About 19 tonnes | About 14,140 km | Mainstay of trans-Pacific and transatlantic routes;the Shanghai Pudong to Dallas/Fort Worth route is flown with this type |
| Boeing 787-8 | 37 aircraft (largest operator in the world) | Lower-deck belly hold, takes LD3 containers and pallets | About 16 tonnes | About 13,600 km | Long-haul routes with moderate demand, including Japan, Korea and selected European points |
| Boeing 777-300ER | 20 aircraft | Lower-deck belly hold, takes pallets and LD3 containers | About 20 tonnes | About 13,650 km | High-demand intercontinental trunk routes and important capacity to Hong Kong, London and Latin America |
| Boeing 777-200ER | 47 aircraft | Lower-deck belly hold, takes pallets and LD3 containers | About 18 tonnes | About 14,300 km | Used on a mix of long-haul and medium-long-haul routes, to be phased out from the 2030s |
| Narrowbody fleet (737-800, 737 MAX 8 and A321 family) |
More than 700 in total | Mainly lower-deck loose cargo holds | About 1.5 to 3 tonnes | Depending on the sector | US domestic and short connecting sectors, moving cargo between hubs |
| Aircraft type | ULD compartment door size | Loose cargo hold door size | Maximum weight per piece | Suitable cargo forms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boeing 777-200ER and 777-300ER | Height 147 cm × width 185 cm | 114 cm high × 91 cm wide | 226 kg per piece | Palletised cargo, tray loads and larger boxed cargo |
| Boeing 787-8 / 787-9 | Height 147 cm × width 185 cm | 114 cm high × 101 cm wide | 226 kg per piece | LD3 container loads, palletised cargo and small e-commerce loose pieces |
The Boeing 787-9 carries most of the American Airlines mainland China flying and operates the daily Shanghai Pudong to Dallas/Fort Worth service (AA128). This twin-aisle long-haul aircraft is about 62.8 m long with a 60.1 m wingspan, a composite fuselage and GEnx engines, cruises at about Mach 0.85 and has a range of about 14,140 km. Its lower deck takes standard LD3 containers; the ULD compartment door measures 147 cm high by 185 cm wide, the loose cargo door 114 cm high by 101 cm wide, and the maximum weight per piece is 226 kg. The defining features of the 787 family arehigher cabin humidity, a lower cabin altitude and larger windowswhich have no direct effect on cargo, but the lower passenger fatigue lets American Airlines use the type on longer routes and so adds long-haul widebody frequencies for freight. For Chinese exporters the point of the 787-9 is that it is one of the most stable and predictable sources of widebody belly capacity between China and the United States.
American Airlines is the largest Boeing 787-8 operator in the world, with 37 aircraft. The 787-8 is the shortened member of the family, with a range of about 13,600 km and a slightly shorter fuselage and lower seat count, so belly tonnage per flight is a little smaller (about 16 tonnes for reference). Its advantage is that itmatches long-haul routes with moderate demand more flexiblyThe airline deploys it heavily on routes such as Tokyo Haneda, Seoul and selected European points, where demand is moderate but a widebody is needed, and also on US domestic leisure routes from DFW to Miami and Orlando. For Chinese exporters the 787-8 appears on two routings: the US domestic widebody connection after China-origin cargo lands at DFW, and the trans-Pacific sector connecting through Tokyo or Seoul.
The Boeing 777-300ER has the highest belly payload in the American Airlines widebody fleet, with 20 aircraft. It is about 73.9 m long with a 64.8 m wingspan, powered by two GE90-115B engines (over 51 tonnes of thrust each, among the most powerful engines in civil aviation history) and has a range of about 13,650 km. The lower deck holds 14 large pallet positions and offers about 20 tonnes in combined passenger and cargo operation, which makes it the right platform forbulky cargo with concentrated weightAmerican Airlines has historically flown the 777-300ER to Hong Kong (DFW to HKG and LAX to HKG), London and Latin America, and used it for all-cargo flights around 2020 when capacity was tight. For customers moving large machinery, complete industrial assemblies or high-volume e-commerce consolidation, the 777-300ER belly is usually one of the largest single-flight options across the Pacific.
American Airlines operates 47 Boeing 777-200ERs, most delivered between 1999 and 2003, the most numerous type in its widebody fleet. They have Rolls-Royce Trent 800 engines, a range of about 14,300 km and a reference belly payload of about 18 tonnes, with the same ULD door size as the 777-300ER (147 cm high by 185 cm wide). The aircraft now mainly fly transatlantic and some high-demand US domestic trunk routes. In 2026 American Airlines issued a request for proposals to Boeing and Airbus for a next-generation widebody and plans to replace the 777-200ERs from the 2030s. For shippers this means the 777 platform will remain part of the cargo network for years to come, with no near-term gap in capacity planning.
Beyond the widebodies, American Airlines flies more than 700 narrowbody aircraft (Boeing 737-800, 737 MAX 8, Airbus A321 family, A319/A320 and others). Their lower-deck holds carry 1.5 to 3 tonnes per flight, which looks modest, but they play a critical role:distributing cargo from international gateways such as DFW to smaller US citiesFor cargo from China to inland US cities such as Denver, Kansas City, Salt Lake City and Raleigh, the common routing is a widebody from China to DFW followed by a narrowbody from DFW to the destination, which is exactly where the hub network adds value. Narrowbody holds take loose pieces only and cannot accept standard pallets, so such cargo has to be built to the hold door dimensions, generally about 86 cm high and 122 cm wide depending on the type.
Direct line:86-21-6427-5809
Sales manager direct line:86-21-5465-2028
Email:SHA.Cargosales@aa.com
Shanghai Pudong (PVG) is the core American Airlines cargo gateway in mainland China, and widebody belly cargo from China to the United States mostly departs from there.
Telephone:86-10-64788181
Email:BJS.Cargosales@aa.com
Serves shippers and forwarders in North China and handles quotations and sales for Beijing and the surrounding market. American Airlines has no scheduled widebody service from Beijing at present, so cargo usually moves through Shanghai Pudong or connects via Seoul or Tokyo.
Telephone:86-20-3880-9873
Email:CAN.Cargosales@aa.com
Serves South China (Guangdong, Fujian, Guangxi and others). American Airlines has no scheduled widebody service from Guangzhou or Shenzhen, so cargo is typically trucked to Shanghai Pudong or connects through Hong Kong to the carrier's trans-Pacific flights.
Telephone:852-2369 0058
Email:HKG.Cargosales@aa.com
Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) has long been an important American Airlines cargo gateway in Asia, and the carrier has operated widebody routes such as DFW to HKG and LAX to HKG.
Telephone:886-2-2537-0134
Email:TPE.Cargosales@aa.com
Serves shippers and forwarders in Taiwan; cargo usually connects through Tokyo or Seoul into the American Airlines trans-Pacific network.
Cargo booking line:1-800-227-4622 (1-800-CARGOAA)
Booking email:Cargo.Reservations@aa.com
General support email:aacargo.helpdesk@aa.com
The time zone is US Central Time, which suits charter enquiries, special cargo such as temperature-controlled goods, live animals and dangerous goods, and system-level issues.
Cargo website:www.aacargo.com(the official American Airlines Cargo portal, with route schedules, product information, online booking registration and cargo tracking)
Passenger and flight website:www.aa.com
Cargo tracking:Enter the 11-digit air waybill number beginning with001001 in the tracking page at aacargo.com to see the current status, for example 001-12345675. Common status codes are BKD (booked), RCS (received from shipper), DEP (departed), ARR (arrived) and DLV (delivered).
Unlike carriers that serve five or six points in China, American Airlines follows afocused strategy in mainland Chinait concentrates widebody capacity on Shanghai PudongShanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG), where the daily PVG to DFW service carries export cargo from East, North and South China (the south consolidated by truck) and the Yangtze basin to Dallas/Fort Worth, and the DFW super-hub distributes it across the United States and to third countries. Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) has also long been another important American Airlines gateway in Asia, with a history of stable widebody nonstop service on DFW to HKG and LAX to HKG.
For shippers the value of this layout ispredictabilitya single high-frequency gateway means capacity is released on a regular pattern and load plans can be predicted. The drawback is that cargo from other mainland cities needs a domestic consolidation step, which the forwarder performs: moving the goods from the factory to the Shanghai Pudong cargo terminal, then building up and clearing them to American Airlines handling standards.
| Airport | IATA | Service type | Main route directions | Aircraft operated | Schedule (day of week) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shanghai Pudong International Airport | PVG | Belly capacity on scheduled widebody passenger flights (core gateway) | PVG to Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW); connections at DFW reach the whole United States, Latin America and Europe | Boeing 787-9 | Once daily, Monday to Sunday |
| Hong Kong International Airport | HKG | Long history of scheduled widebody service | Hong Kong to DFW and Hong Kong to Los Angeles (LAX) | Boeing 777-300ER | Schedules follow the latest official timetable |
| Beijing Capital International Airport | PEK | Previously operated as all-cargo flights; no scheduled service now | Historically the DFW to Seoul to Beijing (DFW–ICN–PEK) cargo route | Boeing 787-9 | No scheduled service at present |
| Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport | CAN | Cargo sales office only; no scheduled widebody service | Cargo is consolidated by road to PVG or connects via Hong Kong to trans-Pacific flights | — | No scheduled service at present |
| Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport | SZX | No scheduled widebody service; the forwarder arranges domestic consolidation | Cargo moves via Shanghai Pudong or Hong Kong | — | No scheduled service at present |
| Main airports in Taiwan | TPE and others | Cargo sales office only; no American Airlines nonstop | Connects via Tokyo or Seoul to transpacific flights | — | No scheduled service at present |
Flight AA128 | one daily (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday)
Departs Shanghai Pudong International Airport Terminal 2 at about 17:20 and arrives at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport at about 18:05 local time the same day, a flight of about 13 hours 45 minutes on a Boeing 787-9. This is American Airlines' only scheduled widebody route in mainland China and the main entry point for Chinese export cargo into the American Airlines cargo network. At DFW, cargo can connect within the same hub to onward flights for New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, Seattle, Boston, Atlanta and other major US cities, as well as long-haul flights to Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Peru.
The return leg leaves DFW and reaches Shanghai Pudong the next day, also daily. That two-way frequency matters forbackhaul cargoor for customers who need returns or repairs. US-made medical devices, precision instruments and agricultural products such as nuts, meat and fruit have steady demand in China, and a daily widebody belly means backhaul bookings do not wait for a specific day. Return flights generally depart in the morning US local time; exact times change with the season.
American Airlines has a long history in Hong Kong, with widebody nonstops linking DFW and HKG. As a free port and international transhipment hub, Hong Kong suitscustomers who need flexible transit, have demanding documentation or ship unusual cargo formsCurrent schedules should be checked against the carrier's latest official timetable:day of week ____, to be verified with the carrier)We verify schedules and available payload in the carrier system before every booking.
LAX is one of the largest international gateways on the US West Coast, and widebody flights between Hong Kong and Los Angeles operated for many years. For cargo bound for California, Nevada, Arizona or Washington State, Hong Kong to Los Angeles or Shanghai to Dallas to Los Angeles are both options, with different trade-offs in transit time, capacity pressure and freight cost. Check the day of week and capacity against what the carrier publishes at the time of booking.
For shippers in Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Dongguan, Foshan, Xiamen, Ningbo, Suzhou, Qingdao, Tianjin and Chengdu, cargo usually enters the American Airlines network by one of three routes:Routing 1: truck consolidationThe forwarder arranges road haulage to the Shanghai Pudong cargo terminal for direct loading on AA128, the most common approach.Routing 2: transit via Hong KongSouth China cargo goes by road to Hong Kong and connects to the American Airlines widebody at HKG, which suits cargo that needs flexible transit.Routing 3: transit through a Northeast Asian gatewayAnother carrier moves the cargo to Tokyo or Seoul, then it connects to an American Airlines transpacific widebody for DFW or other US cities. The three routes differ in transit time, cost and operational complexity, so the choice depends on cargo type (general merchandise, goods with batteries, temperature-controlled, liquids), transit requirements and destination city.
The United States is the main market. After the nonstop from Shanghai Pudong to DFW, cargo can connect to New York (JFK/EWR), Los Angeles (LAX), Chicago (ORD), Miami (MIA), Seattle (SEA), San Francisco (SFO), Boston (BOS), Atlanta (ATL), Houston (IAH), Denver (DEN), Phoenix (PHX), Charlotte (CLT), Philadelphia (PHL), Washington (DCA/IAD), Orlando (MCO), Las Vegas (LAS) and many secondary airports. For Canada, connections run through DFW or ORD to Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal.
American Airlines has the strongest Latin American network of any US carrier, and Miami (MIA) is the leading US cargo gateway to the region. Cargo from China to Sao Paulo (GRU) and Rio (GIG) in Brazil, Buenos Aires (EZE) in Argentina, Santiago (SCL) in Chile, Lima (LIM) in Peru and Bogota (BOG) in Colombia can transit DFW or MIA. The China to US to Latin America routing is usually faster than transiting Europe or the Middle East.
American Airlines runs transatlantic joint ventures with British Airways and Iberia under the IAG group, covering London Heathrow (LHR), Paris (CDG), Frankfurt (FRA), Amsterdam (AMS), Madrid (MAD), Barcelona (BCN), Rome (FCO), Milan, Lisbon (LIS), Dublin (DUB), Copenhagen (CPH), Zurich (ZRH), Venice (VCE) and Nice (NCE). Chinese cargo can enter Europe through DFW or an East Coast gateway.
Widebody points in Asia Pacific include Tokyo Haneda (HND) and Narita (NRT), Seoul Incheon (ICN), Shanghai Pudong (PVG), Hong Kong (HKG), Sydney (SYD), Auckland (AKL) and Brisbane (BNE). Brisbane to DFW is one of the longest nonstops in the American Airlines network. The Japan routes are closely tied to the joint business with Japan Airlines (JAL), which allows denser connections inside Japan.
Doha (DOH) and Tel Aviv (TLV) are important Middle East points, interlining with Qatar Airways and other oneworld members. For South Asia, oneworld partners such as Qatar Airways and SriLankan Airlines extend interline reach to the main cities of the Indian subcontinent. These directions usually call for an agent to compare multi-carrier interline options.
For US consignees the real requirement usually extends to a warehouse, not the airport. We can clear cargo at DFW, LAX, JFK, ORD, MIA or another gateway and then deliver by truck or US domestic air to the address the consignee specifies, including Amazon FBA warehouses, overseas warehouses and end factories. This is where a freight forwarder adds value over a plain booking channel.
A daily widebody from Shanghai Pudong to DFW means customers do not have to work around the fixed cut-off days of a twice-weekly freighter. Exporters with steady monthly volumes can plan shipments by the month and lock capacity by the week, which reduces warehouse build-up caused by schedule mismatch. In peak season, typically September to November before Black Friday and Christmas, capacity tightens, but daily frequency is still easier to secure space on than a low-frequency freighter.
DFW handles more than 1,500 flights a day and connects 208 destinations. It is the largest American Airlines hub and the fastest distribution point in the central and southern United States. Cargo arriving at DFW usually connects the same day or the next to New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, Seattle and other main gateways, and to inland cities such as Denver, Kansas City, Salt Lake City, Raleigh and Nashville. Compared with routings that need several transfers, a single connection cuts the risk of misrouting and delay.
Belly capacity carries no extra aircraft purchase or depreciation cost, so in low and shoulder seasons its price is usually more flexible than a freighter. For lots of 50 to 500 kilograms, e-commerce consolidation, samples and replenishment stock, belly space generally produces a gentler quote. Belly rates do rise in extreme peak season, which is why space should be locked at the right moment through an agent; timing and method of booking are where a professional forwarder earns its fee.
The ExpediteTC temperature-controlled product is one of the better regarded pharmaceutical cold chain solutions in the industry and holds IATA CEIV Pharma certification covering the DFW, MIA and PHL hubs. Philadelphia (PHL) has a dedicated temperature-controlled center of about 2,500 square meters, and Kennedy (JFK) has 15 to 25 degrees Celsius ambient storage and 2 to 8 degrees Celsius chilled storage. For pharmaceuticals, biological reagents, vaccines and in vitro diagnostics, the Shanghai Pudong to DFW to US cities routing offers usable cold chain conditions.
American Airlines has cargo sales offices in Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou with Chinese-speaking staff who deal directly with large accounts and long-term project cargo. For shippers this means rate confirmation, capacity requests and exception handling move faster than when contact is only through an overseas head office. Our role as forwarder is to use those channels well, presenting cargo information in the format the carrier needs and avoiding back-and-forth.
American Airlines is a founding member of oneworld, with a transpacific joint business with Japan Airlines (JAL) and a transatlantic joint venture with British Airways and Iberia (IAG). When a destination is not on an American Airlines point, cargo can still move on one air waybill through alliance interlining instead of being split into two separate shipments. For shippers, one waybill means a clear responsible party, a simpler claims path and less paperwork.
American Airlines Cargo product lines are organized on two dimensions: speed tier and cargo type. On speed, from highest to lowest, come PPS (Priority Parcel Service, for urgent small parcels under 100 pounds, moving on the next available flight without long advance booking), Critical PPS (with enhanced monitoring for sensitive cargo), ExpediteFS (express freight) and ConfirmedFS (confirmed capacity for general freight). On cargo type there are dedicated solutions for temperature control, live animals, perishables, high-value cargo, dangerous goods and human remains.
First, pharmaceutical cold chain (ExpediteTC).ExpediteTC, launched in 2009, is a solution for temperature-sensitive cargo and offers bothactive(using actively controlled containers with adjustable temperature) andpassive(where the customer pre-packs cold plates or dry ice and ground teams handle it to procedure). Both cover ambient, chilled (2 to 8 degrees Celsius) and frozen ranges. On facilities, American Airlines has a dedicated temperature-controlled center of about 2,500 square meters in Philadelphia (PHL), new ambient and chilled storage at Kennedy (JFK), and temperature-controlled handling at Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) and Miami (MIA). The product holds IATA CEIV Pharma certification at DFW, MIA and PHL. For pharmaceuticals, vaccines, biological samples and diagnostic reagents moving from Shanghai Pudong through DFW, that means cold chain procedures at origin, at the transit point and on the US domestic leg.
Second, live animal transport (American PetEmbark).American Airlines has more than 65 years of experience in this business, carrying household pets, breeding stock, racehorses and zoo animals under the IATA Live Animals Regulations (LAR), with animal lounges and trained handlers at major hubs. In recent years the carrier has also flown high-value koi from Niigata in Japan to Los Angeles and Dallas; in 2023 alone more than 19 tonnes of koi went to Los Angeles. Cargo that is live, valuable and time-critical is the clearest test of a carrier's operating skill. For ornamental fish, pet dogs and cats, or laboratory animals exported from China, quarantine certificates and import or export permits must be prepared in advance, and container specifications must meet carrier requirements.
Third, perishables and high-value cargo.For seafood, fruit, flowers, mushrooms and seasonal vegetables, American Airlines Cargo offers priority handling, dedicated refrigerated trailers and shorter ground time, usually shipped under ExpediteFS or ConfirmedFS. For artwork, precision instruments and jewellery that need extra security, the high-value cargo solution provides controlled storage areas and stricter handover records at key hubs. High-end consumer goods, medical device prototypes and exhibition materials exported from China can be arranged this way.
Fourth, dangerous goods.Within the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR), American Airlines Cargo accepts limited classes and quantities, commonly electronic devices with lithium batteries (UN3480/UN3481 and similar), batteries built into machinery, some chemical samples, magnetic cargo, dry-ice cooled temperature-controlled cargo and aerosols. As a belly operator its acceptance scope is narrower than a freighter carrier, and many classes need prior carrier consent plus full test reports, MSDS and packing instructions; this is not a step where the shipper can simply fill in a form and send. In practice we confirm cargo properties at the booking stage so that nothing is rejected at the terminal.
Fifth, urgent shipments and charter capability.MEDEVAC service covers urgent medical supplies and human organs, with priority take-off and landing and the shortest routings. For very large volumes, oversize pieces or cargo that needs fully self-managed timing, charters or all-cargo flights can be discussed. During the pandemic in 2020 American Airlines operated more than 1,000 temporary all-cargo flights with passenger aircraft, covering DFW to Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong among other points, which shows it can convert passenger aircraft to all-cargo operation. Such requests need to reach the carrier's cargo department well in advance (aacargo.helpdesk@aa.com) and usually require a large minimum volume.
Digital tools and sustainability.Booking and tracking run on the Sabre Cargo system. Customers can register at aacargo.com to book online, check flight schedules and track shipments, and corporate clients can connect status data to their own ERP or cargo management system through an interface. On sustainability, American Airlines Group has committed to net zero emissions by 2050, with targets to raise sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) use to 10 percent by 2030 and cut greenhouse gas intensity 45 percent against 2019 by 2035. For Chinese exporters facing growing carbon disclosure requirements, especially suppliers to European and US retailers, choosing a carrier with SAF programs or optimized multimodal routings is becoming a real commercial consideration.
| ExpediteTC | Temperature-controlled pharmaceutical and life science cargo; active and passive options; CEIV Pharma certified |
| PPS | Urgent small parcels under 100 pounds, moving on the next flight with top boarding priority |
| Critical PPS | Sensitive cargo with enhanced monitoring and proactive reporting throughout |
| MEDEVAC | Urgent medical supplies and human organs, with priority take-off and landing |
| PetEmbark | Live animal transport with more than 65 years of experience |
| Perishables solution | Seafood, fruit and flowers, handled on priority to cut ground time |
| High-value cargo | Controlled storage and enhanced handover records |
| Dangerous goods | Limited categories under IATA DGR, subject to prior approval |
| Charter / all-cargo | Project moves with large volumes, oversize pieces or self-managed timing |
DFW (Dallas/Fort Worth)Largest hub, first US point of arrival for China cargo, nationwide distribution center, CEIV Pharma certified station.
MIA (Miami)Leading gateway to Latin America and the core port for perishables, flowers, pharmaceuticals and e-commerce cargo; CEIV Pharma certified station.
PHL (Philadelphia)Dedicated temperature-controlled center; key station for pharmaceutical and life science cargo; CEIV Pharma certified.
LAX (Los Angeles)West Coast international gateway handling Asia Pacific and transpacific flows.
ORD (Chicago)Midwest consolidation center connecting to the US domestic network.
JFK (New York Kennedy)East Coast gateway with newly installed ambient and chilled storage.
American Airlines Cargo allocates capacity through two channels: self-service booking on aacargo.com for direct shippers, andthe freight forwarder channelFor Chinese exporters, booking through a forwarder is usually the better fit, for practical reasons: forwarders know Chinese export clearance and carrier procedures, can secure capacity in bulk and lock space early in peak season, and connect booking, trucking, clearance, documents, destination customs and delivery into one chain.
Goodhope Logistics (China) LimitedGoodhope Freight is a professional international freight forwarder based in Shenzhen, China, focused on air and sea freight from China to the United States and markets worldwide. In air freight we hold capacity agreements with several international carriers and can compare American Airlines Cargo with other carriers objectively for the cargo type and transit requirement, rather than locking a customer to one airline.
We know each step of the export chain: pickup in major mainland cities, export clearance, commodity inspection and gateway handling; delivery to the carrier terminal, build-up and loading; then US customs clearance, depalletising and truck delivery. Common commodities include e-commerce consolidation parcels, consumer electronics, industrial components, machinery, apparel and textiles, household goods, plus special cargo such as pharmaceuticals, perishables and live animals.
If you need to ship international air cargo from mainland China to the United States or another country, we can provide an executable routing and a quotation.
Company name:
Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited
Goodhope Freight
Website:
goodhope86.com
goodhopefreight.com
Location:
Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
Please provide the commodity, pieces and gross weight, volume or dimensions, origin city, destination city and ZIP code, required shipping date, and whether you need clearance and pickup, so we can quote accurately in one pass.
Provide cargo details and transit requirements; we recommend a routing and quote
Confirm rate, flight and documentation cut-off, then request capacity from the carrier
Collect the cargo or receive it into the warehouse, and handle export clearance at the same time
Build to carrier standards, deliver to the terminal and load the flight
Track status by the 001 waybill number and report exceptions immediately
After destination clearance, truck delivery through to consignee signature
Goodhope Freight, an international freight forwarder in Shenzhen, China, arranges door-to-door air cargo from pickup and export clearance to US customs clearance and delivery
Visit our website for an air freight quotationYes, and in large volumes. After selling its last six Boeing 747 freighters in 1984, American Airlines moved to carrying cargo entirely in passenger aircraft bellies. It turns the lower decks of more than 6,700 daily passenger flights into cargo capacity, including 137 widebodies (Boeing 777 and 787 series) offering roughly ten to twenty tonnes of usable payload per flight. The model gives wide destination coverage and high frequency, which suits exporters shipping often to scattered destinations.
The American Airlines air waybill (AWB) starts with the three-digit code001001. The full format is 11 digits: 001 plus a 7-digit serial and a check digit, for example 001-12345675. Track the shipment by entering the full waybill number on the cargo tracking page at www.aacargo.com. Without a waybill number, commodity or consignee details alone cannot be traced. For cargo booked through us, we provide the waybill number and tracking method with the booking confirmation.
The nonstop from Shanghai Pudong to Dallas/Fort Worth takes about 13 hours 45 minutes and arrives the same day. Adding ground handling at both ends, the time from cargo handover to consignee pickup in a major US city is usually3 to 5 working daysIf the destination needs a further US domestic flight or truck leg from DFW, add 1 to 2 working days. Actual transit time depends on export clearance speed, destination customs arrangements and delivery distance. Peak season, weather or capacity changes can extend it, and we flag that risk in advance.
American Airlines has no scheduled widebody service in South China, only a cargo sales office. Cargo from the region usually leaves by one of three routes: truck consolidation by an agent to Shanghai Pudong for the daily widebody; road haulage to Hong Kong for the American Airlines widebody there; or another carrier to Tokyo or Seoul and then a transpacific flight. Which fits depends on volume, transit requirement and destination city. Contact us and we will give a concrete routing comparison and quotation.
Both are possible, under different conditions. Electronic devices with lithium batteries fall under dangerous goods and must be shipped within the IATA dangerous goods rules with correct packaging, marking and declaration; some classes require prior carrier consent and cannot be handled unilaterally. Temperature-sensitive cargo such as pharmaceuticals and biological reagents suits the ExpediteTC product, and American Airlines holds IATA CEIV Pharma certification at DFW, MIA and PHL. For both categories, give us the product information before booking (commodity, composition, battery type and watt-hours, temperature range) so we can assess feasibility, rather than discovering a problem at the terminal.
Online booking suits companies with steady volumes, in-house clearance and documentation capability, and familiarity with carrier procedures. If you need to compare several carriers, need pickup and export clearance, ship special cargo, or want someone watching cut-off times and exceptions on your behalf, a forwarder is less work. A forwarder also brings information advantage: we work this market continuously and know how tight capacity is on each routing, when space sells out seasonally and what commodity restrictions apply.
Prepared by Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited (Goodhope Freight). Airline names, codes and brand marks mentioned here belong to their respective owners, and our company has no affiliation, agency or investment relationship with the airlines described. The information is compiled from public sources for reference only and does not form a contract of carriage or a commitment. Space, rates and schedules are subject to actual confirmation by the carrier or its authorized agent at the time of booking.