Door-to-airport is an air freight service in which the freight forwarder or carrier arranges pickup from the shipper’s facility (the “door”) and delivers the cargo to the designated origin airport for departure — but does not arrange onward transportation from the destination airport to the final consignee. The consignee or their agent is responsible for collecting the freight at the destination airport, clearing customs, and arranging inland transport to the final delivery point.
Door-to-Airport vs. Door-to-Door
Door-to-airport service gives the shipper control over the first inland leg while delegating the air carrier relationship to the forwarder. The consignee retains full control over destination handling, which can be an advantage when the consignee has preferred local carriers or customs brokers at the destination. By contrast, a door-to-door service bundles all legs under one provider — simpler but with less destination flexibility.
Airport-to-Airport vs. Door-to-Airport
In airport-to-airport service, both origin and destination handling are the shipper’s and consignee’s responsibility respectively — the carrier only manages the air segment. Door-to-airport adds the origin pickup leg. Door-to-door adds both origin pickup and destination delivery, providing the most complete service but at the highest cost.