Pacific Air Cargo
Pacific Air Cargo is a private air freight carrier operating Boeing 747-400F aircraft between Los Angeles and Honolulu, providing scheduled and charter cargo services to Hawaii, American Samoa, and Guam, with specialized handling for vehicles, military, pharmaceutical, and perishable goods.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2000
- HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Pacific Air Cargo does
Pacific Air Cargo is a privately held air freight carrier founded in 2000 by Beti Ward and headquartered in Los Angeles, California. The company operates a fleet of Boeing 747-400F aircraft (including nose-loader variants) and Boeing 757-200F aircraft, providing scheduled and charter air cargo services between Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Honolulu (HNL), with onward connections to American Samoa, Guam, and Sydney. Pacific Air Cargo moves more than 100 million pounds of freight annually across its network, serving a diverse customer base that includes the U.S. military, government contractors, freight forwarders, integrators (DHL Express), pharmaceutical and medical supply distributors, automotive dealerships and collectors, floral and produce shippers (Watanabe Floral), universities (University of Hawai'i), and individual pet owners and military families relocating with companion animals.
The company's core technology is its Boeing 747-400F fleet with nose-loading capability, enabling transport of outsized cargo such as military Humvees, helicopters, and industrial equipment that cannot be handled by standard freighters. Pacific Air Cargo has developed proprietary handling systems including PACRAK (a vehicle racking system believed to be the first of its kind in North America that stacks mid-sized vehicles vertically) and BIKERAK (a motorcycle racking system), both FAA-certified. Supporting infrastructure includes 24,000 square feet of warehouse space at LAX and 45,000 square feet at HNL, with bonded customs space and refrigerated storage. The PACTRAK online platform provides domestic and international cargo tracking with AWB-number lookup, email, and text notification features.
Revenue is generated through three primary streams: transaction-based air freight charges with tiered service levels (Must-Ride overnight, General up to 3 days, Stand-By up to 5 days) priced by cargo weight and dimensions with fuel, security, and declared value surcharges; contract-based Fleet & Volume Discount Programs providing recurring shippers with preferential rates and customized billing; and on-demand charter services available 24/7 for specialty and time-critical shipments. Distribution is sales-led, leveraging direct customer engagement, a Road Feeder Service network reaching 12+ US gateway cities, and partnerships with freight forwarders, integrators, and Asia-Pacific airlines for ground handling at HNL. Leadership transitioned in May 2025 from founder Beti Ward to Tanja Janfruechte as President & CEO.
Pacific Air Cargo firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Pacific Air Cargo
- Legal name
- Pacific Air Cargo
- Website
- https://pacificaircargo.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2000
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Pacific Air Cargo is a private air freight carrier operating Boeing 747-400F aircraft between Los Angeles and Honolulu, providing scheduled and charter cargo services to Hawaii, American Samoa, and Guam, with specialized handling for vehicles, military, pharmaceutical, and perishable goods.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Pacific Air Cargo industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Air Cargo Services
- NAICS
- Air Transportation (481), Nonscheduled Chartered Freight Air Transportation (481212), Nonscheduled Air Transportation (4812)
- SIC
- Air Transportation, Scheduled (4512), Air Transportation, Nonscheduled (4522), Airports, Flying Fields & Airport Terminal Services (4581)
- akta.pro primary industry
- General Cargo Air Freight Carriers (Scheduled & Charter) (TLADAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Air Cargo Charter Specialists (On-Demand) (TLADAAAE), Scheduled Air Cargo Airlines (All-Cargo Carriers) (THABAEAA), Island & Remote Region Regional Airlines (THABACAL)
Keywords
Where Pacific Air Cargo is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Angeles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Pacific Air Cargo business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Air Freight Transportation Services: Transaction-based air freight charges based on cargo weight, dimensions, and service level (Must-Ride overnight, General up to 3 days, Stand-By up to 5 days). Revenue generated per shipment with surcharges for fuel, security, declared value, and specialized handling.
- Fleet & Volume Shipping Programs: Contract-based pricing for customers with recurring shipping needs. Provides pricing stability, preferential rates, and capacity planning support for businesses shipping regularly between mainland US and Hawaii.
- Charter Services: Dedicated aircraft charter services available 24/7 for one-time, specialty, or time-critical shipments. Revenue from charter flights using Boeing 747-400F, 747-400F nose-loader, and 757-200F aircraft.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Must-Ride (Overnight) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | General (Up to 3 Flight Days) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Stand-By (Up to 5 Flight Days) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Military Discount |
| Subscription | Annual | Fleet & Volume Discount Program |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Pacific Air Cargo product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Pacific Air Cargo operates scheduled and charter air cargo services primarily between Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Honolulu (HNL), with onward connections to Hawaiian neighbor islands, American Samoa, and Guam. The carrier uses Boeing 747-400F freighter aircraft to move general, military, pharmaceutical, produce, and oversized cargo across the Pacific.
Product overview
Pacific Air Cargo is an air freight carrier operating a fleet of Boeing 747-400F aircraft (including nose-loader configurations) providing scheduled and charter cargo services. The core offering is scheduled air freight between Los Angeles (LAX) and Honolulu (HNL) with onward connections to Hawaii's neighbor islands, American Samoa, and Guam. The product portfolio includes specialized services for General Cargo, Vehicles (featuring proprietary PACRAK and BIKERAK vehicle/motorcycle racking systems), Oversized Cargo, Pets, Military Cargo, Pharmaceutical/Medical Supplies, Precious Cargo, and Produce/Perishable Goods. Supporting infrastructure includes Ground Handling services at HNL, Fleet & Volume Discount programs, Road Feeder Service (RFS) connecting mainland US locations, Unknown Shipper Services, and PACTRAK online tracking. Charters provide on-demand 24/7 solutions using B747-400F, B747-400F Nose-Loader, and B757-200F aircraft. The company also offers warehouse storage facilities with 24,000 sq. ft. at LAX and 45,000 sq. ft. at HNL, including bonded space for U.S. Customs and refrigerated storage.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- PACRAK: Vehicle transportation system for shipping multiple mid-sized vehicles mounted one above the other in aircraft, providing ultimate safety and security during flight while optimizing space.
- BIKERAK
- PAC Gives Back
Products and services
- General Cargo
- Military Cargo
- Pharmaceutical Cargo
- Produce Cargo
- Oversized Cargo
- Charter Services
- Ground Handling
Quantifiable outcome
- 100+ million pounds shipped annually across network
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Pacific Air Cargo
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Pacific Air Cargo technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Pacific Air Cargo partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Drag Tech RacingminorSponsorship of Hawaii-based Drag Tech Racing and father-and-son team Steve and Puna Choo for 2026 Baja Raptor Runs 1,000-mile off-road challenge. PAC transports team's Ford SVT Roush Raptor via Boeing 747-400F freight services. Promotional partnership showcasing vehicle shipping expertise and PACRAK system.
- TransaircorePartnership with Hawaii's longest-running all-cargo airline (since 1982) to provide scheduled inter-island air cargo services throughout Hawaii. Transair operates Bombardier SD3-60 and Boeing 737-300 aircraft to Kauai, Maui, Kona, Hilo with extended service to Lanai and Molokai. Enables PAC customers to access seamless daily connections to all neighbor islands with connections to California and beyond.
- Kalitta AircoreACMI agreement (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, Insurance) for operation of newly-converted Boeing 747-400 freighter on the LAX-HNL route. PAC celebrated entry into service with partner appreciation event.
- Cathay Pacific CargominorCo-location arrangement at 5908 Avion Drive facility at LAX, where PAC shares operations space with Cathay Pacific Cargo at Los Angeles International Airport.
- Pacific Airlift Inc.corePartnership for horse and livestock air transport services. Pacific Airlift handles specialized animal transport while PAC provides the air freight capacity and network connectivity between mainland US and Hawaii.
- Asia-Pacific Airlines (Ground Handling Partners)coreGround handling partnerships with Asia-Pacific carriers operating into Honolulu including Air New Zealand, Qantas, All Nippon Airways (ANA), Japan Airlines (JAL), and Korean Air. PAC provides cargo handling, customs clearance, and ramp services for these carriers at HNL.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Pacific Air Cargo competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Aloha Air Cargo: Hawaii-based all-cargo carrier operating scheduled inter-island and mainland–Hawaii freighter services with a similar customer base of forwarders, military, and time-sensitive shippers.
- Transair: Hawaii's longest-running all-cargo airline operating inter-island freight with B737-300 and SD3-60 aircraft; overlaps directly with Pacific Air Cargo on neighbor-island connections and onward mainland feeds.
- Asia-Pacific Airlines: Honolulu-based cargo carrier serving Guam and Pacific islands with B727 freighters; competes for the same trans-Pacific air freight demand from shippers and integrators.
Broad incumbents
- Kalitta Air: Major U.S. 747 freighter operator and ACMI provider; already supplies aircraft to Pacific Air Cargo and competes broadly for international heavy-lift cargo.
- Atlas Air: Large global 747/777 freighter operator providing scheduled and ACMI cargo services; broad incumbent in air freight with overlapping capabilities on heavy-lift trans-Pacific routes.
- Western Global Airlines: U.S.-based ACMI and scheduled 747/MD-11 freighter operator; competes for charter and scheduled air cargo contracts, especially in the Pacific and military logistics segments.
- FedEx Express: Global integrator with broad mainland–Hawaii network and significant 777F capacity; competes with Pacific Air Cargo for time-sensitive general and e-commerce freight.
- UPS Airlines: Major integrator operating 747-8F and MD-11F aircraft into Honolulu; competes head-to-head on general and healthcare air freight to Hawaii.
- Air Transport Services Group (ATSG): Provider of leased 767/757 freighter capacity and crew to cargo operators; an adjacent peer for ACMI economics and fleet sourcing relevant to Pacific Air Cargo's business model.
Regional players
- Lynden Air Cargo: Alaska-based L382 Hercules cargo operator serving Pacific-rim and remote-region logistics; comparable on the heavy-lift / remote-region niche Pacific Air Cargo addresses with its 747F fleet.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Pacific Air Cargo social profiles
Digital presencePacific Air Cargo financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Pacific Air Cargo leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Pacific Air Cargo funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Pacific Air Cargo M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Pacific Air Cargo
What does Pacific Air Cargo do?
Pacific Air Cargo operates scheduled and charter air cargo services primarily between Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Honolulu (HNL), with onward connections to Hawaiian neighbor islands, American Samoa, and Guam. The carrier uses Boeing 747-400F freighter aircraft to move general, military, pharmaceutical, produce, and oversized cargo across the Pacific.
Is Pacific Air Cargo a public or private company?
Pacific Air Cargo is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Pacific Air Cargo founded?
Pacific Air Cargo was founded in 2000. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Pacific Air Cargo based?
Pacific Air Cargo is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.
How does Pacific Air Cargo make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Air Freight Transportation Services are the primary driver. The others are fleet & Volume Shipping Programs and charter Services.
Who are Pacific Air Cargo's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Aloha Air Cargo, Transair and Asia-Pacific Airlines. Broad incumbents are Kalitta Air, Atlas Air, Western Global Airlines, FedEx Express, UPS Airlines and Air Transport Services Group (ATSG). Lynden Air Cargo is listed as a regional player.
Does Pacific Air Cargo have an API?
No public API is recorded for Pacific Air Cargo.
What industry is Pacific Air Cargo in?
Pacific Air Cargo's product category is Air Cargo Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLADAAAA, General Cargo Air Freight Carriers (Scheduled & Charter), with a secondary code of TLADAAAE, Air Cargo Charter Specialists (On-Demand). Its NAICS code is 481 and its SIC code is 4512.