What United Cargo does

United Cargo is the air freight division of United Airlines, Inc. (NASDAQ: UAL), founded in 1926 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with a separately listed cargo headquarters in Houston, Texas. The division sells air cargo capacity across 800+ mainline aircraft and 600 regional airliners through seven U.S. hubs (Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Newark, San Francisco, Washington D.C.), reaching 200+ domestic destinations and interline connections to roughly 60+ countries. The product portfolio spans three core services — GEN (general freight), EXP (express priority), and QuickPak (same-day small packages under 100 lbs.) — alongside specialty services: TempControl (IATA-compliant cold chain at 100+ airports), LifeGuard/LifeGuardXL (medical shipments with highest boarding priority), TrustUA (funeral shipments including military honors), UASecure (high-value items with chain-of-custody), and UAPremium (critical shipments over 100 lbs.).

The underlying platform consists of a digital booking portal (mycargo.unitedcargo.com), e-AWB electronic documentation, API direct connect for enterprise systems, real-time SMS/email notifications across 11 movement statuses, and a Customer Billing Portal in partnership with FIS. United Cargo accepts 200+ approved GPS and temperature-monitoring devices (Sensitech, TempTale, Controlant, SkyCell, Envirotainer). Distribution extends through dedicated product-line phone sales, a global network of international sales offices, three digital marketplaces (WebCargo, cargo.one, CargoAi), and a joint venture alliance with Lufthansa Cargo covering U.S.–Europe routes.

Revenue is generated through transaction-based pricing on shipment weight, dimensions, route, and service level, with custom quotes (not publicly disclosed) supplemented by surcharges for dangerous goods, dry ice, and declared value coverage. The customer base spans healthcare and pharmaceutical shippers (biologics, GLP-1 medications, vaccines), government and defense (USTRANSCOM programs: GHS, ATP, MM-3, Spot Bids via CRAF), automotive parts shippers, floral/agriculture exporters (vanilla from Madagascar and Mauritius), and general freight forwarders. Specific sustainability offerings include the Eco-Skies Alliance program (launched 2021) and SAF partnerships with Neste, DSV, Microsoft, Phillips 66, and AIT.

Name

United Cargo

Legal name

United Airlines, Inc.

Website

https://unitedcargo.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1926

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

United Cargo is the air freight division of United Airlines (NASDAQ: UAL), providing global air cargo services through 800+ mainline aircraft and 600 regional airliners. It serves healthcare, government, automotive, agriculture, and general freight customers across core products including GEN, EXP, QuickPak, and specialty services like TempControl and LifeGuard.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Air Cargo Logistics Services

NAICS

Scheduled Freight Air Transportation (481112), Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510)

SIC

Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731), Air Courier Services (4513)

akta.pro primary industry

General Cargo Air Freight Carriers (Scheduled & Charter) (TLADAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Express / Time-Critical Air Freight (Next-Flight-Out, AOG, Just-in-Time) (TLACAAAD), Scheduled Air Cargo Airlines (All-Cargo Carriers) (THABAEAA), White-Glove & Inside Delivery Expedited Freight (TLADANAM)

Keywords

• Air freight services
• Cold chain logistics
• Medical cargo shipping
• Express air cargo
• Specialty cargo handling

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Air Freight Cargo Services: United Cargo generates revenue through multiple freight services: GEN (general freight), EXP (express priority freight), QuickPak (small package), TempControl (cold chain), LifeGuard (medical), TrustUA (funeral shipments), UASecure (high-value items), and UAPremium (critical shipments over 100 lbs). Revenue is based on shipment weight, dimensions, service level, and destination.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

United Cargo delivers air freight transportation services across United Airlines' global route network, providing general cargo (GEN), express priority freight (EXP), small package expedited shipping (QuickPak), cold chain logistics (TempControl), medical and lifesaving shipments (LifeGuard), high-value secure transport (UASecure), funeral shipments (TrustUA), premium oversized critical freight (UAPremium), and government/defense solutions. Services span 200+ domestic destinations and global interline connections, with specialized handling for temperature-sensitive, hazardous, perishable, and high-priority cargo.

Product overview

United Cargo is an air freight transportation division of United Airlines offering a comprehensive portfolio of cargo products and services through a network of more than 800 mainline aircraft and 600 regional airliners. The core offering includes GEN (general air freight), EXP (express priority freight), and QuickPak (small package service under 100 lbs.), supplemented by specialized services: TempControl for cold chain logistics, LifeGuard/LifeGuardXL for medical shipments, TrustUA for funeral shipments, UASecure for high-value cargo, and UAPremium for oversized critical shipments. Additional special handling covers flowers, hazardous materials, perishables, seafood, and government/defense freight. The network spans U.S. hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, New York/Newark, San Francisco, and Washington D.C., with enhanced service to Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GEN: General air freight service providing economical and reliable shipping across the United network.
• EXP
• QuickPak
• TempControl
• LifeGuard
• TrustUA
• UASecure
• UAPremium
• TrustUA Military
• LifeGuardXL
• Eco-Skies Alliance

Products and services

• GEN (General Air Freight) Economical and reliable general air freight service offering cargo transportation across the global United network at the best price point for logistics needs. Designed for freight forwarders, manufacturers, retailers, and businesses requiring standard air freight.
• EXP (Express Priority Freight) Expedited express priority freight service providing higher boarding priority status and access to high-demand flights for time-critical shipments. Designed for shippers requiring faster airport-to-airport delivery than general freight.
• QuickPak (Same-Day Small Package) Fastest service for small packages under 100 pounds, offering same-day expedited shipping across the United network with no pre-booking required for domestic shipments. Covers 200+ domestic destinations and 140 acceptance locations.
• TempControl (Cold Chain Shipping) Cold chain shipping solution for temperature-sensitive freight including vaccines, biopharma, and perishables, offering controlled room temperature (15-25°C), cool (2-8°C), and frozen (0°C and below) segments across more than 100 stations worldwide with 24/7 monitoring.
• LifeGuard (Medical and Emergency Shipments) Lifesaving medical and emergency shipment service providing the fastest-available airport-to-airport transit with highest boarding priority, 24/7 monitoring, and hand loading/unloading by specially-trained staff for human tissues, cell therapies, and clinical trial materials.
• TrustUA (Funeral Shipments) Specialized funeral shipment service handling casketed and cremated human remains with dignity, including military honors and water cannon salutes for fallen servicemembers through the TrustUA Military program.
• UASecure (High-Value Cargo Transport) Transportation and monitoring service for high-value items with complete chain-of-custody, continuous monitoring, storage in secure vaults and cages, and around-the-clock monitoring via UASecure Control Tower.
• UAPremium (Critical Shipments Over 100 lbs) Premium service for most critical shipments over 100 lbs. with highest boarding priority among freight products, monitored from origin to destination with expedited handling through the warehouse network.
• Special Handling - Flowers Expert handling and climate-controlled storage for delicate flower shipments including Ecuadorian roses and Colombian carnations, following IATA Perishable Cargo Regulations.
• Special Handling - Hazardous Materials Shipping dangerous goods with safety and security, handling hazardous materials with trained experts following ICAO, IATA, and 49CFR regulations.
• Special Handling - Perishables and Produce Temperature-controlled storage and efficient handling for produce and perishables from farm to table, following IATA Perishable Cargo Regulations.
• Special Handling - Seafood Fresh or frozen seafood shipping using worldwide network and logistics expertise, with refrigeration facilities and optional reefer truck service.
• Government and Defense Cargo Solutions Elite government cargo transportation solutions including door-to-door service, USTRANSCOM program participation (GHS, ATP, MM-3, Spot Bids), and CRAF partnership for mission-critical CONUS and OCONUS shipments.
• QuickPak International International expedited shipping service connecting 100+ international stations to 50 U.S. domestic destinations with accelerated handling and 2-hour connection times between international arrivals and domestic departures, versus up to 5 hours with traditional cargo processing.

Quantifiable outcome

• United Cargo moved more than 441,000 pieces of QuickPak through 140 domestic acceptance locations in 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability3 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DSVcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 April 2026DSV collaborated with Microsoft, United Airlines and Phillips 66 to unlock 11 million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel, enabling largescale access to SAF and delivering an expected reduction of approximately 100,000 tonnes of lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions compared with conventional jet fuel.
• AIT (AIT Worldwide Logistics)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 December 2025AIT completed a sustainable aviation fuel purchase with United Airlines to reduce aviation-related Scope 3 GHG emissions, accounting for 1,500 metric tons of CO₂e abated for AIT's corporate travel and 22,000 metric tons of CO₂e abated on behalf of a top customer.
• NestecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 October 2025Neste extended partnership with United Airlines to bring sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to three new major U.S. airports: George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) in Houston, Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) in New Jersey, and Dulles International Airport (IAD) in Washington D.C. This makes United the first commercial airline to purchase SAF for use on flights from these airports.
• Lufthansa CargocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnited Cargo's joint venture alliance with Lufthansa Cargo expands network reach and enables offering more choices, destinations, frequencies, and connectivity across the globe. They have designed shared product offerings, technology and processes to ensure customers shipping via the UA-Lufthansa cargo joint venture receive the same high-quality service expected from each leading cargo carrier. Benefits include combined network for more routes and destinations, increased capacity, aligned products and services, more nonstop flights, faster connections, one-stop booking, integrated cargo tracking, and increased service recovery options.
• WebCargominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUnited Cargo is excited to partner with WebCargo marketplace for smaller shipping needs.
• cargo.oneminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUnited Cargo is excited to partner with cargo.one marketplace for smaller shipping needs.
• CargoAiminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUnited Cargo is excited to partner with CargoAi marketplace for smaller shipping needs.
• Phillips 66coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the DSV, Microsoft, United Airlines collaboration to unlock 11 million gallons of SAF from Phillips 66, supporting sustainable aviation fuel supply chain.
• MicrosoftcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in collaboration to unlock 11 million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel, enabling environmental sustainability in air freight operations.
• Interline PartnerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUnited Cargo's Interline alliances provide customers with greater capacity to destinations around the globe. Through combined service with partners, United Cargo's worldwide interline network extends reach to nearly everywhere in the world, getting shipments where they need to be quickly.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Lufthansa Cargo: Lufthansa Cargo is United Cargo's joint venture partner and the most direct peer in scheduled air cargo. It operates a comparable global belly-cargo and dedicated freighter network with deep cold-chain and pharma specialization (e.g., Frankfurt hub), directly mirroring United Cargo's product portfolio.
• Delta Cargo: Delta Cargo is the cargo division of Delta Air Lines, a direct competitor on North American and transatlantic belly-cargo lanes. It offers comparable products including temperature-controlled pharma (Pharma Plus) and expedited small package (DASH) services targeting similar shipper segments.
• American Airlines Cargo: American Airlines Cargo is the cargo division of American Airlines, a direct belly-cargo competitor. It operates across the same U.S. hubs and Latin America/Europe lanes, offering general freight, priority, and temperature-controlled services for similar customers.
• IAG Cargo: IAG Cargo is the cargo arm of International Airlines Group (British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, etc.). It is a direct belly-cargo peer across transatlantic and intra-Europe lanes, with comparable specialized products in pharma (Constant Climate) and premium freight.
• Cathay Cargo: Cathay Cargo is the air freight division of Cathay Pacific, a direct competitor on transpacific and Asia-Europe lanes. It operates a substantial mix of belly-cargo and dedicated freighters with strong cold-chain capabilities, overlapping with United Cargo on premium pharma and perishables.
• Air France-KLM Cargo: Air France-KLM Cargo combines the belly-cargo networks of Air France and KLM with a significant dedicated freighter operation. It is a direct competitor on transatlantic and intercontinental lanes, particularly in pharma cold-chain through its Schiphol and Paris hubs.
• Korean Air Cargo: Korean Air Cargo operates one of the largest air cargo fleets globally with dedicated freighters plus belly-cargo. It is a direct competitor in transpacific and intra-Asia lanes, with deep expertise in perishables, seafood, and industrial freight that overlaps with United Cargo's portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• DHL Aviation: DHL Aviation is the air operations arm of DHL Group, a global integrator with a massive dedicated air network. It competes on time-definite, international priority, and cross-border e-commerce lanes, often partnering with passenger airlines like United for capacity but also competing head-to-head on premium services.
• FedEx Express: FedEx Express is the global air express arm of FedEx, operating the world's largest cargo airline fleet. It is a broad incumbent in time-definite air freight and competes directly with United Cargo's EXP, QuickPak, and LifeGuard products for enterprise and SMB shippers.
• UPS Airlines: UPS Airlines is the air cargo operation of UPS, the world's largest package delivery company. It is a broad incumbent competing with United Cargo on Next Day Air, time-critical, healthcare logistics (UPS Healthcare), and international priority services through a mix of dedicated freighters and leased belly capacity.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about United Cargo