What Korean Air Cargo does

Korean Air Cargo is the air freight division of Korean Air Lines Co., Ltd. (Korean Air Lines Co., Ltd.), a publicly traded Korean flag carrier on the Korea Stock Exchange (ticker 003490.KS) headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. The division operates a global air cargo network across 44 cities in 25 countries using a dedicated fleet of 23 freighters (B747-8F, B747-400ERF, B777F) and belly capacity on Korean Air's passenger aircraft. It serves freight forwarders, shippers/cargo owners, and postal operators (notably Korea Post) through a membership-exclusive digital portal at cargo.koreanair.com. Korean Air Cargo was ranked the world's No. 1 international cargo carrier by IATA for six consecutive years (2004-2009) and received the ATW Cargo Airline of the Year award in 2022.

Core operations are anchored at the Incheon Hub, which combines Cargo Terminal 1 (1,430,000 tons/year capacity) and Cargo Terminal 2 (260,000 tons/year) for 1.69 million tons of annual handling, supported by dedicated cargo terminals at Los Angeles, New York JFK, Tokyo Narita, Osaka Kansai, Gimpo, Busan, and Jeju. The product lineup comprises five core air freight tiers (Express, Express Heavy, Customized, Specialized, General) sold under the iCargo proprietary cargo management system introduced in April 2019. iCargo supports e-AWB (electronic Air Waybill), FWB/FHL transmission, barcode label printing, GPS tracker integration, and electronic customs reporting (AMS, ACAS, EU-ICS). Specialized capabilities include the Cool Cargo Center at Incheon (opened September 2021), the Kooltainer RKN temperature-controlled LD3 container service (-15°C to +15°C for up to 48 hours), real-time GPS tracking on US road feeder cargo, and IATA CEIV Pharma (2019, re-certified 2022) and CEIV Lithium Battery (May 2023) certifications.

Revenue is generated on a transaction/take-rate basis through freight forwarders who book and pay via the cargo portal, with pricing not publicly disclosed but accessible through a Rate Inquiry feature and a Spot Rate request mechanism limited to one per MAWB. Add-on revenue streams include Shipper's Interest Insurance in partnership with Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance (현대해상화재보험) with coverage up to USD 7,000,000 per shipment, cargo charter services, and Road Feeder Service trucking bundled with air freight. Distribution combines direct digital self-service via the portal, Korean Air's global branch network, the SkyTeam Cargo alliance (the world's largest airline cargo alliance), the Delta Air Lines transpacific JV (May 2018), and a ground handling partner network (Pegasus, Swissport, CELEBI, JAL, Thai Airways, Menzies). Other supporting infrastructure includes the Cargo Mobile App (launched April 2013), e-AWB program (introduced December 2010), e-Track real-time tracking (June 2001), and the Cargo SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) Program launched September 2023.

Name

Korean Air Cargo

Legal name

Korean Air Lines Co., Ltd.

Website

https://cargo.koreanair.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Korean Air Cargo is the air freight division of Korean Air Lines Co., Ltd., operating 23 dedicated freighters and a network of 44 cities in 25 countries. It serves freight forwarders, shippers, and postal operators via the iCargo digital platform, dedicated terminals, and specialized services including pharma, lithium battery, and perishables handling.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Air Cargo Services

NAICS

Scheduled Freight Air Transportation (481112), Scheduled Air Transportation (48111), Nonscheduled Chartered Freight Air Transportation (481212), Support Activities for Air Transportation (4881), Freight Transportation Arrangement (4885)

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

Scheduled Air Cargo Airlines (All-Cargo Carriers) (THABAEAA), Heavy-Lift / Outsize Air Cargo Carriers (TLADAAAF), High-Value & Secure Air Cargo (Valuables, Security Screening, Escort) (TLACAAAH), Oversized / Out-of-Gauge & Heavy-Lift Air Freight (Aircraft Constraints, Special Handling) (TLACAAAG), Air Freight Brokerage (TLADAMAE)

Keywords

• Air cargo transportation
• Freight forwarding services
• Specialized cargo handling
• Global air freight
• Cold chain logistics

Headquarters

HQ city

Seoul

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Air Cargo Transportation: Korean Air Cargo generates revenue through the transportation of air cargo via its fleet of freighters (B747-8F, B747-400ERF, B777F) and belly cargo capacity on passenger aircraft. Revenue is based on cargo weight, volume, and service type (Express, Express Heavy, Customized, Specialized, General). Freight forwarders book and pay through the cargo portal, with rates available via Rate Inquiry and Spot Rate request features.
2. Shipper's Interest Insurance: Korean Air offers shipper's interest insurance in partnership with Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance (현대해상화재보험), underwritten by Korean Air as the policy holder. Premiums are collected alongside cargo freight charges through the cargo portal. Coverage up to USD 7,000,000 per shipment, with rates varying by route zone and cargo type (general, valuable, bank note categories).
3. Cargo Charter Services: Korean Air provides special cargo charter services to any destination worldwide beyond regularly scheduled services. Cargo charter inquiries are managed via [email protected] and an online charter inquiry form, typically for oversized or specialized cargo requiring dedicated aircraft.
4. Road Feeder Service (Trucking): Korean Air provides trucking network services (Road Feeder Service) connecting cities not directly served by Korean Air flights. Trucking numbers are managed and tracked via the website, with GPS monitoring for US cargo. Revenue is bundled with air freight through the cargo portal.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Korean Air Cargo is the air cargo division of Korean Air Lines Co., Ltd., providing global air freight transportation across 44 cities in 25 countries via a fleet of 23 freighters (B747-8F, B747-400ERF, B777F) and belly cargo on passenger aircraft. Services are sold exclusively through contracted freight forwarders using the cargo.koreanair.com portal, covering Express, Express Heavy, Customized, Specialized, and General cargo products, plus charter, road feeder trucking, shipper insurance, GPS tracking, and temperature-controlled solutions such as the Cool Cargo Center at Incheon and Kooltainer containers.

Product overview

Korean Air Cargo operates a portfolio of five core air freight products (Express, Express Heavy, Customized, Specialized, General) supported by various add-on services. The product lineup is unified under the iCargo platform, which provides the digital infrastructure for booking, tracking, and cargo operations. The Specialized product category includes seven sub-categories for special care cargo including fresh perishables (Specialized Fresh), while Kooltainer Service provides temperature-controlled container solutions. Additional services include GPS tracking, cargo charter, road feeder service, shipper insurance, and e-AWB documentation capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Express: Time-definite service for fastest and most convenient delivery of urgent small-sized cargo shipments
• Express Heavy
• Customized
• Specialized
• General

Products and services

• Express Time-defined air cargo service for the fastest delivery of urgent small-sized cargo such as urgent documents and product samples, sold to contracted freight forwarders.
• Express Heavy Express service for fast and safe delivery of large and heavy shipments to final destinations, with guaranteed loading on the first available flight regardless of size or weight.
• Customized Customized logistics solution based on three-party cooperation between Shipper, Freight Forwarder, and Korean Air Cargo to provide optimal air logistics arrangements.
• Specialized Exclusive air cargo solution for special-handling shipments, with seven sub-categories including Specialized Fresh for perishables (cherries, fruits, seafood), pharmaceuticals, live animals, lithium batteries, and temperature-controlled cargo.
• General Standard product for airport-to-airport transportation of general cargo, providing an economical solution for consolidated goods with reliable transportation anywhere and anytime.
• Kooltainer (Korean Air Cool Container) Service Temperature-controlled LD3 container (RKN type) service maintaining -15°C to +15°C for up to 48 hours per setting, with battery and dry ice replenishment for extended transport; used for human blood, body organs, temperature-sensitive food, and precision manufacturing equipment.
• Cargo GPS Tracker Approved GPS tracker service enabling real-time cargo location and transport condition monitoring, supporting up to 2 GPS trackers per MAWB, with live GPS tracking available for North America (US) shipments via road feeder service.
• Cargo Charter Service Special cargo charter services to anywhere worldwide in addition to regularly scheduled services, with experts dispatched in advance to pre-arrange logistics at destination cities.
• Road Feeder Service Trucking network service connecting cities not served by Korean Air flights, providing Direct Delivery to desired terminals; covers 31 countries and 205+ cities, with GPS monitoring on US routes.
• Shipper Insurance Service (Shipper's Interest Insurance) Shipper's Interest Insurance partnership with Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance covering cargo damage during transport, with coverage up to USD 7,000,000 per shipment and route-zone-based premiums effective from October 2025.

Quantifiable outcome

• World's No.1 international cargo carrier (IATA ranking) for 6 consecutive years 2004-2009
• +4 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and major.

• Korea Post (한국우정사업본부)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2019Korean Air signed an MOU with Korea Post in October 2019 to operate express cargo service from Korea to the USA, with Korea Post's logistics support team. This partnership enables postal and airmail cargo transportation under the Korean Air Cargo Express product.
• Delta Air LinescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2018Korean Air and Delta Air Lines launched their joint venture in May 2018, combining their trans-Pacific cargo networks. The JV enhances Korean Air's North American market reach through Delta's extensive US network, allowing coordinated scheduling, capacity sharing, and joint product offerings for cargo customers on trans-Pacific routes.
• SkyTeam CargocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSkyTeam Cargo, the world's largest airline cargo alliance, was established in September 2000. Korean Air participates as a founding/leading member. The alliance offers joint cargo products rebranded in March 2018 into General, Express, Specialized, and Customized tiers. SkyTeam Cargo provides combined global network reach and joint marketing for all member airlines.
• IBS SoftwaremajorTechnology or IntegrationIBS Software provides cargo operations IT systems for Korean Air's reservation and transportation services. Personal information (email for membership, shipper/consignee name/address/phone) is outsourced to IBS Software in Japan for cargo transportation and customs declaration purposes, transmitted via dedicated network at registration and AWB execution.
• Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance (현대해상화재보험)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKorean Air partners with Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance to offer Shipper's Interest Insurance (S.I.I) to cargo owners. Korean Air acts as the policy holder, enabling shippers to purchase insurance by declaring the insured amount on the Air Waybill. Coverage up to USD 7,000,000 per shipment, with premiums collected through Korean Air.
• AWS (Amazon Web Services)majorTechnology or IntegrationAWS provides disaster recovery infrastructure for Korean Air's AWB data center operations. When the Seoul region data center is unavailable, AWS's US Eastern Region Data Center activates the disaster recovery system. Shipper and consignee information is transmitted to AWS in the USA for this purpose.
• Ground Handling Partners (Pegasus, Swissport, CELEBI, JAL, Thai Airways, Hanjin Global Logistics, and others)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKorean Air relies on a network of ground handling agents at airports worldwide for cargo acceptance, transportation, documentation, and customs declaration. Partners include Pegasus and others in the Americas; Swissport, CELEBI in Europe; Japan Airlines, Hanjin International Japan in Japan; Thai Airways in Southeast Asia; and Menzies in Oceania. These partners directly or indirectly collect personal data on behalf of Korean Air.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves14 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Emirates SkyCargo: Dubai-based scheduled air freighter carrier with a large modern fleet and global network; competes directly with Korean Air Cargo on East Asia–Europe, trans-Pacific, and perishables corridors.
• Qatar Airways Cargo: Doha-hubbed cargo carrier with a sizable dedicated freighter fleet and CEIV Pharma, CEIV Fresh certifications; directly comparable to Korean Air Cargo in premium specialized cargo segments.
• Lufthansa Cargo: Frankfurt-based scheduled air freight carrier and fellow SkyTeam Cargo member; comparable freighter fleet, global freighter network, and specialized cargo product portfolio (e.g., pharma, perishables).
• Cargolux: Luxembourg-based all-cargo carrier operating a B747 freighter fleet and strong in heavyweight/outsize, pharma, and perishables — directly overlaps Korean Air Cargo's Specialized product category.
• Cathay Pacific Cargo: Hong Kong-based scheduled and charter air cargo carrier with a comparable dedicated freighter fleet and global network; directly competes with Korean Air Cargo on trans-Pacific and intra-Asia routes out of a major hub.
• Air France Cargo (Air France-KLM Cargo): Paris/Schiphol-based scheduled freight carrier with global reach and SkyTeam Cargo alignment; offers parallel specialized cargo products and e-AWB-enabled digital booking similar to Korean Air Cargo.
• China Airlines Cargo: Taipei-based SkyTeam Cargo member with a similar dedicated freighter fleet and Asian hub-and-spoke network; competes head-to-head with Korean Air Cargo on trans-Pacific and intra-Asia lanes.

Broad incumbents

• DHL Aviation (DHL Express): Global integrator with owned air freight capacity and end-to-end pickup/delivery; broader service portfolio than Korean Air Cargo but competes on trans-Pacific express, pharma, and high-value international shipping.
• FedEx Express: The largest integrated air+ground express network globally; broader than Korean Air Cargo's pure air freight offering but competes heavily for time-sensitive and high-value cargo on trans-Pacific lanes.

Regional players

• Nippon Cargo Airlines (NCA): Japan-headquartered all-cargo carrier with a B747F freighter fleet and Asia-Pacific network; competes with Korean Air Cargo on intra-Asia and Japan trans-Pacific freight lanes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/korean-air-cargo

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Korean Air Cargo