DHL Global Forwarding this month launched dedicated air cargo flights between Southeast Asia and the US Midwest, adding predictable Transpacific capacity for shippers seeking stable schedules amid geopolitical disruptions and volatile rates, according to FreightWaves.
Route Details and Capacity
The service operates three times per week from Hanoi, Vietnam, and Taipei, Taiwan, to Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) and Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD), using Boeing 777 freighters sourced from sister company DHL Express, FreightWaves reported. Chicago and Cincinnati alternate as destinations, with road feeder services providing daily connections between the two hubs and onward to other cities.
DHL Global Forwarding has also introduced a three-times-weekly connection between Bangkok, Thailand, and Cincinnati, the location of DHL Express's main North American air hub, according to a news release cited by FreightWaves.
| Route | Frequency | Aircraft | Operator |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hanoi, Vietnam → Chicago O'Hare | 3x/week | Boeing 777-300 converted freighter | Kalitta Air |
| Taipei, Taiwan → Cincinnati/Chicago (alternating) | 3x/week | Boeing 777 freighter | DHL Aviation |
| Bangkok, Thailand → Cincinnati | 3x/week | Boeing 777 freighter | DHL Aviation |
Kalitta Air operates the Boeing 777-300 converted freighter on the Hanoi-Chicago route specifically, according to a spokesperson and aviation database Flightradar24 cited by FreightWaves. The other flights fall under management of DHL Aviation, DHL's in-house airline. It remains unclear whether DHL uses its own aircraft or partner carriers for the Bangkok and Taipei services, FreightWaves noted.
Competitive Landscape
DHL is the latest global freight forwarder to time-charter aircraft and offer dedicated service to Chicago. Ceva Logistics, Kuehne+Nagel, and DSV have also established dedicated flights to O'Hare and Chicago-Rockford Airport to cater to import demand from Asia and Europe, FreightWaves reported. Operating own-controlled capacity provides reliable capacity, stable routes, predictable costs, and shorter transit times, enabling businesses to plan supply chain flows more effectively than relying on multiple commercial carriers.
Earlier Expansion on Europe-Asia Lanes
The Transpacific expansion follows DHL Global Forwarding's recent increase in charter flights between Asia and Europe. At the end of March, the company launched weekly flights connecting Liège, Belgium, and Hong Kong to meet growing transport demand for general cargo. A service between Shanghai, China, and DHL's hub in Leipzig, Germany, commenced on June 1, according to FreightWaves.
Watch List
DHL intends the services to be long-term operations continuing into the peak winter season, with market conditions determining any further extension, a spokesperson told FreightWaves. Shippers and freight forwarders should monitor whether demand sustains the flights beyond the holiday peak and whether other logistics providers follow suit with similar dedicated capacity on the Transpacific lane.
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