Air freight Chicago
Export and import air freight for companies in and around Chicago, via O'Hare (ORD). Pick-up, customs, flight and delivery from one desk, including Next Flight Out and on-board courier for urgent cargo.
- CityChicago
- Local time--:--
- AirportsORD

- Airports
- O'Hare (ORD)
- Seaport
- Inland rail ramps, sea freight via East and West Coast ports
- Local industries
- manufacturing, machinery, food and pharma
- Air waybills
- Own AWBs, no third parties
- Customs in the USA
- Ziem network partner, under our brand
- Time-critical
- Next Flight Out and on-board courier
- Seasonal risk
- Snow and de-icing (December to March) can delay flights.
Air freight from and to Chicago
Chicago O'Hare is one of the largest US cargo airports and the main gateway for the Midwest. We serve shippers and consignees in Chicago in manufacturing, machinery, food and pharma, with export and import air freight to and from our 21 core markets and worldwide. We issue our own air waybills on the USA lanes, without a third-party consolidator.
- Export air freight from ChicagoPick-up anywhere in the Chicago area, export declaration and departure via O'Hare (ORD) or the main hubs in the USA.
- Import air freight to ChicagoArrival, customs clearance (via the Ziem network) and delivery to your door in Chicago.
- Next Flight Out from ORDUrgent cargo on the first available flight, with customs pre-lodged at destination.
- On-board courier to and from ChicagoA courier hand-carries critical parts door to door.
- Door-to-door including customsOne price and one contact from pick-up in Chicago to delivery abroad, or the other way round.
- Dangerous goods and special cargoLithium batteries, dry ice, temperature-controlled and oversized cargo on request.
Ziem Logistics operations desk
- Cut-off and acceptance times
- Current cut-off times for Chicago on request: we confirm them with every booking.
Plan around local peaks in Chicago
Weather and season: Snow and de-icing (December to March) can delay flights. We build buffer time into routings and switch to alternative airports when needed.
Holidays: In the USA, Thanksgiving, Independence Day (4 July), Christmas and the Q4 peak season can slow down customs, airlines and trucking. Book early and send documents in advance around these dates.
Customs clearance in Chicago
Every import and export from Chicago needs a customs declaration. In the USA, customs clearance is handled by a dedicated partner team that works under the Ziem Logistics brand, to our procedures and with the shipment data we prepare. You deal only with Ziem Logistics, from booking to release.
Customs clearance in Chicago → · Freight & customs in the United States →
Air freight in other cities in the United States
Main lanes from Chicago
The most important connections from the USA, with our own team or trusted customs partners at destination.
Related services and pages
Air freight Chicago: FAQ
Can't find your answer? Email ops@ziem-logistics.com or call +49 40 57290280.
Which airports do you use for air freight from Chicago?
Mainly O'Hare (ORD). Depending on capacity and destination, we also route via the main hubs in the USA.
Do you offer urgent air freight in Chicago?
Yes. With Next Flight Out we book the first available flight from ORD, and with an on-board courier a person hand-carries the goods door to door.
Do you issue your own air waybills for Chicago?
Yes. We issue our own air waybills on the USA lanes, without a third-party consolidator.
What are the cut-off times in Chicago?
Cut-off and acceptance times depend on the airline and flight. We confirm the current times with every booking; the local desk on this page shows the latest information.
Can you also clear customs for my shipment to Chicago?
Yes. In the USA, customs clearance is handled by a dedicated partner team that works under the Ziem Logistics brand, to our procedures and with the shipment data we prepare. You deal only with Ziem Logistics, from booking to release.
Do you use local agents in Chicago?
No. We work directly with the airlines and issue our own air waybills, and we do not use local agents. Where we cannot do it ourselves, we use a few long-standing, trusted partners for road transport and customs, under our procedures. We do not work as an agent for other forwarders: our customers are shippers and consignees.
Tell us about your shipment
Send us the lane, the goods and the timeline. We reply within one business day. For urgent cargo, call us directly.