DSV, the world's third-largest logistics provider, launched a weekly dedicated air charter service from Seoul, South Korea, to Chicago-Rockford International Airport (RFD), underscoring the airport's growing role as a cargo relief valve for crowded O'Hare, according to FreightWaves.
New Seoul-Rockford route
The service, operated by all-cargo carrier Atlas Air with a Boeing 777-200 freighter, began on Saturday. Flight tracking data shows the flight stops in Shanghai, China, before heading to RFD, with a fuel stop in Anchorage, Alaska, and continues on to Luxembourg. DSV began using RFD in November 2025 with weekly charter flights from Shanghai, and added an inbound service from Luxembourg in June 2026. Mohamed Siraj, DSV's vice president of Air Direct / Global Gateways, said in a joint news release:
"Incheon is one of Asia’s most important cargo hubs, and with this new service, DSV can provide reliable capacity and connectivity via the network we are building through Rockford. The airport has consistently demonstrated the operational reliability and flexibility needed to support scheduled international freighter services, making it a natural choice as we continue developing our air cargo operations."
Why Rockford matters
Second-tier airports like RFD have become more attractive to logistics companies chartering their own aircraft since the COVID-19 crisis due to less crowding, lower fees and operating costs, on-site cargo terminals that give direct control over freight, and less congested roads. RFD officials claim airlines can save up to 25 minutes in taxiing time compared to O'Hare, reducing fuel burn and carbon emissions. DSV uses a multi-client terminal operated by Menzies Aviation to transfer loads between aircraft and trucks serving local warehouses.
RFD cargo statistics
RFD is No. 19 in North America for cargo and No. 12 in the U.S. based on total landed weight (including aircraft weight), according to figures from Airports Council-International and the Federal Aviation Administration. The airport handled 498,432 metric tons of cargo in 2025, up 10.8% from the previous year. Dominant carriers at RFD include UPS, Amazon Air, and Maersk Air Cargo, each with their own handling terminals.
| Metric | Value | Change vs 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Cargo volume (2025) | 498,432 metric tons | +10.8% |
| North America rank | 19 | N/A |
| U.S. landed weight rank | 12 | N/A |
DSV's expanding air network
DSV is not finished growing at Rockford. The company plans to introduce a scheduled service connecting RFD to Chennai, India, later this year. The current Seoul service joins existing Shanghai and Luxembourg routes, all flown by Atlas Air. DSV uses these charter flights as part of a network flowing through RFD to other destinations, providing customers with greater control over capacity, scheduling, and delivery speed compared to using commercial airlines.
Implications for shippers and forwarders
For freight forwarders and shippers, the new Seoul-Rockford service adds reliable trans-Pacific capacity at a secondary airport with faster turnaround. As more logistics providers follow DSV's lead, secondary airports like RFD may continue to gain share in air cargo, offering cost and efficiency advantages over primary hubs.
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