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Air Freight Station - Definition & Meaning | Logistics Glossary

AFS

GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Jun 16, 2026

Air Freight Station

Unlike an airport cargo terminal, an Air Freight Station (AFS) is a customs-bonded facility located off-airport that serves as an extended node in the air cargo network.

Quick Answer

Unlike an airport cargo terminal, an Air Freight Station (AFS) is a customs-bonded facility located off-airport that serves as an extended node in the air cargo network.

Cargo is received, consolidated, sorted, and packed or unpacked there, then released under customs supervision for onward movement to the departure airport or final destination.

Freight forwarders rely on AFS facilities primarily to build consolidated shipments before tendering them to airlines – a function analogous to LCL groupage in ocean freight.

Last updated: 16 June 2026Published: 19 June 2025

Source: https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/1761

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Air Freight Station

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Definition & Explanation

Unlike an airport cargo terminal, an Air Freight Station (AFS) is a customs-bonded facility located off-airport that serves as an extended node in the air cargo network. Cargo is received, consolidated, sorted, and packed or unpacked there, then released under customs supervision for onward movement to the departure airport or final destination. Freight forwarders rely on AFS facilities primarily to build consolidated shipments before tendering them to airlines – a function analogous to LCL groupage in ocean freight. AFS sites are typically found in industrial zones near major airports, allowing forwarders to operate at lower cost than on airport premises. The key distinction from an air freight terminal is location: an AFS operates entirely outside the airport perimeter.

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Recommended format: Source: Freight Academy – Air Freight Station (https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/air-freight-station), accessed 2026-09-26
APA style: Freight Academy Editorial Team. (2025). Air Freight Station. Freight Academy. https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/air-freight-station
BibTeX: @misc{airfreightstation2025, title = {Air Freight Station}, author = {{Freight Academy Editorial Team}}, year = {2025}, url = {https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/air-freight-station}, note = {Freight Academy, accessed 2026-09-26} }

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