San Francisco Bay Area, United States
Air freight in San Francisco Bay Area
Ziem Logistics books air freight to and from San Francisco Bay Area via San Francisco (SFO). We arrange pick-up and delivery in the San Francisco Bay Area area and prepare the customs entries before the cargo flies. For air freight to and from the United States we issue our own air waybills.
Airports, seaports and connections in San Francisco Bay Area
- AirportSan Francisco
SFO - AirportOakland
OAK - AirportSan Jose
SJC - SeaportPort of Oakland
The San Francisco Bay Area is served by three international airports. San Francisco International (SFO) has the most widebody connections to Asia and Europe and carries most of the region's international air cargo. Oakland International (OAK) is a major express and freighter location, and San Jose Mineta International (SJC) is closest to Silicon Valley. By sea, the Port of Oakland is the main container port of Northern California and an important export port for agricultural products.
US-101 and I-280 run down the Peninsula to Silicon Valley, I-880 links the Port of Oakland and Oakland airport with San Jose, and I-80 crosses the Bay Bridge towards Sacramento and the East. Union Pacific and BNSF serve the Oakland rail yards. Traffic on the bridges and main corridors makes planning of pick-up and delivery windows important.
Operational logistics facts for San Francisco Bay Area
| Hub | Specialisation | Local advantage |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco International Airport (SFO) | Widebody capacity to Asia and Europe | Main international air cargo gateway for Northern California |
| Oakland International Airport (OAK) | Express and freighter operations | Close to the Port of Oakland and East Bay industry |
| Port of Oakland | FCL/LCL containers, agricultural exports | Main container port in Northern California |
| South San Francisco biotech cluster | Clinical samples and research materials | Short distance to SFO for temperature-sensitive shipments |
Industries in San Francisco Bay Area and how we support them
The Bay Area is home to semiconductor equipment makers, chip designers, hardware and computer companies in Silicon Valley, and one of the largest biotech clusters in the world around South San Francisco. These companies ship high-value, often time-critical goods: wafers, equipment parts, prototypes, clinical samples and research materials. We support them with air freight under our own air waybills via SFO, OAK and SJC, Next Flight Out for equipment parts, On-Board Courier for prototypes and samples, and temperature-controlled transport for biotech. Export controls and import data are prepared before shipping.
Time-critical air freight in San Francisco Bay Area
For time-critical shipments we compare two options: Next Flight Out via San Francisco (SFO) on the first suitable flight, or an On-Board Courier who hand-carries the goods to the San Francisco Bay Area area. In both cases the customs entries are prepared in advance.
Booked directly with the airline
For the United States we issue the air waybill ourselves. The booking, the shipment data and the advance cargo information come from one desk, which reduces handovers and keeps the documents consistent.
Customs clearance in the United States
Ziem network
Customs clearance in the United States is handled by a partner team in the Ziem network, under the Ziem Logistics brand and to our procedures.
For air freight to and from the United States we issue our own air waybills.
Importers in the United States need an importer of record number and, for most formal entries, a customs bond.
Frequently asked questions
Which Bay Area airport is best for my air freight?
SFO offers the most international widebody capacity, while Oakland (OAK) is strong for express and freighter routings and San Jose (SJC) is closest to Silicon Valley. We choose based on routing, capacity and delivery address, and book under our own air waybills.
Can you ship semiconductor equipment parts urgently from the Bay Area?
Yes. We book Next Flight Out from SFO or another suitable airport, prepare export documentation in advance and coordinate delivery at destination. For prototypes or very sensitive items, an On-Board Courier can carry the goods door to door.
How do you handle biotech samples from South San Francisco?
We agree the temperature range and packaging, such as dry ice or temperature-controlled containers, and book carriers that accept these shipments. Dangerous goods rules apply to dry ice, which we take into account in the booking and documentation.
How do I get a quote for air freight to or from San Francisco Bay Area?
Send us the origin, destination, goods description, weight and dimensions. Our operations desk replies with a routing via San Francisco (SFO) and an itemised quote.
More services in San Francisco Bay Area
- Sea freight in San Francisco Bay AreaFCL and LCL sea freight on the main trade lanes, with pre-carriage and on-carriage by road or rail.
- Customs clearance in San Francisco Bay AreaImport and export clearance by our in-house customs teams in 8 countries and by partner teams in the Ziem network.
- San Francisco Bay AreaCity overview