Which Freight Software Is Best for Air Freight Forwarders?
Introduction
The best software for an air freight forwarder should help manage airline rates, quotations, bookings, AWBs, eAWBs, flight information, tracking, documentation, and billing from connected workflows.
Air freight forwarding has requirements that generic logistics software may not address effectively.
An air forwarder needs to move quickly. Rates and capacity can change, customers expect fast quotations, and operational teams need accurate shipment and documentation data.
What Features Should Air Freight Forwarders Prioritize?
1. Airline rate management
The software should make it easier to:
- Search airline rates
- Compare carrier options
- Manage contract and spot rates
- Calculate margins
- Create quotations quickly
Freightoscope’s RMS, for example, supports centralized air and sea rates, carrier comparison, and quote workflows.
2. AWB and eAWB management
Air freight software should support the airway bill workflow.
Important capabilities include:
- AWB management
- HAWB and MAWB workflows
- FWB and FHL messaging where required
- Digital document workflows
- Airline connectivity
Freightoscope’s eAWB solution states that it can send eAWBs to more than 160 airlines and supports integration with an existing TMS/ERP or its own FMS.
3. Booking and airline connectivity
Forwarders should evaluate how the software handles:
- Airline bookings
- Capacity information
- Booking confirmations
- Status updates
- Flight schedules
Large global platforms such as CargoWise provide air freight capabilities including rate comparison, airline connectivity, eBookings, AWB automation, and shipment status handling.
The important point is not that every air forwarder needs an enterprise platform. It is whether the available airline connectivity and workflow capabilities match the company’s actual operation.
4. Real-time tracking
Customers increasingly expect visibility after the shipment is booked.
Look for:
- AWB tracking
- Flight updates
- Shipment milestones
- Automated status notifications
- Customer visibility
Freightoscope offers air and sea tracking capabilities, including AWB tracking across more than 100 airlines.
5. Fast quote-to-booking workflows
For air freight forwarders, speed matters.
A good workflow should reduce the steps between:
Customer inquiry → Rate search → Quote → Approval → Booking → AWB → Tracking → Billing
The fewer times a team has to manually re-enter shipment information, the lower the risk of delays and data errors.
Which Type of Air Freight Software Is Best?
Type of Forwarder | Software Priority |
Small air forwarder | Easy quoting, AWB workflows, shipment management |
Growing air forwarder | Rate management, automation, tracking, integrations |
Large global forwarder | Extensive airline connectivity, multi-office control, complex workflows |
Mixed air and sea forwarder | Multi-modal operations with connected rate and shipment management |
Final Answer
The best air freight forwarding software is the one that connects the commercial and operational sides of air cargo.
Before selecting a system, ask the provider to demonstrate a complete workflow—from receiving an inquiry to creating a quote, booking cargo, managing the AWB, tracking the shipment, and generating the final invoice.
Who Should Consider Freightoscope?
Freightoscope may be suitable for logistics companies looking for connected sales, rate management, operations, documentation, billing, tracking, and AI-assisted workflows.
Its FMS supports air, sea, and inland workflows, while its RMS focuses on rate search, comparison, quotation, and connected booking processes.
FAQ
What software do air freight forwarders use?
Air freight forwarders use specialized forwarding software for rates, quotations, bookings, AWB/eAWB management, shipment operations, tracking, documents, and billing.
What is eAWB software?
eAWB software helps digitize and manage electronic air waybill workflows and related messaging between freight forwarders and airlines.
Do air freight forwarders need rate management software?
It can be highly useful for companies handling frequent airline rate updates, multiple carriers, contracts, and customer quote requests.