Freightos and Korean Air Forge Alliance to Digitize Global Air Cargo

BARCELONA, Spain – June 29, 2026 – In a move signaling a significant acceleration of the air cargo industry's digital transformation, Korean Air, one of the world's largest cargo carriers, has integrated directly with the Freightos booking platform. The partnership, announced today during the Air Cargo Shanghai 2026 event week, provides freight forwarders with direct, real-time access to the airline’s rates, capacity, and eBooking capabilities.

This integration connects Korean Air’s extensive global network to the thousands of forwarders utilizing the Nasdaq-listed Freightos (NASDAQ: CRGO) platform. The initial phased launch focuses on critical trade lanes from North America and Europe into Asia, a stronghold for the South Korean carrier. For an industry long reliant on manual processes, this shift toward live, on-demand booking represents a pivotal step in building a more efficient and resilient global supply chain.

"We are thrilled to welcome Korean Air onto the Freightos network," said Pablo Pinillos, CEO of Freightos, in the official announcement. "Providing forwarders with direct, instant access to real-time capacity and eBooking is exactly how we drive greater efficiency and resilience across the global supply chain."

A Strategic Leap in Air Cargo Digitalization

For decades, booking air freight has been a fragmented and often cumbersome process involving phone calls, emails, and static rate sheets, leading to pricing opacity and booking delays. The partnership between Korean Air and Freightos is a high-profile example of the industry-wide push to leave this legacy behind. By digitizing its inventory and making it available on a third-party platform, the airline is embracing a new standard of operational efficiency and customer experience.

"Digitalization is a core component for maintaining a competitive edge in the global air cargo market," commented Jae Dong Eum, EVP and head of the cargo business division at Korean Air. He emphasized that the goal is not merely to establish new channels but to "actively deliver a seamless, high-value digital customer experience."

This move places the airline and its digital partner at the forefront of a competitive landscape. While many major carriers have developed their own direct eBooking portals, the trend is increasingly moving toward a multi-channel strategy. Airlines are leveraging both their own systems and vendor-neutral platforms like Freightos and its competitor, Cargo.one. The key advantage of these third-party platforms is aggregation; they allow a freight forwarder to search, compare, and book capacity across multiple airlines from a single interface, a powerful value proposition that airline-specific portals cannot match. By joining the Freightos network, Korean Air gains immediate access to a vast, built-in user base of logistics professionals actively seeking digital solutions.

Reshaping the Freight Forwarder's Playbook

The most immediate and tangible impact of this integration will be felt by the freight forwarders who orchestrate global shipments. The ability to see live rates and secure capacity on Korean Air flights instantly through the WebCargo by Freightos portal transforms a multi-step, often multi-hour process into a matter of minutes. This newfound efficiency is particularly critical for small to medium-sized forwarders (SMEs).

"For small to mid-sized forwarders, this levels the playing field," noted one industry analyst. "Instant access to a major carrier like Korean Air without needing massive volume contracts or dedicated account reps is a game-changer. It democratizes access to capacity and allows them to compete more effectively with larger players on speed and responsiveness."

The initial rollout grants forwarders in key North American and European hubs the ability to digitally book space on Korean Air's fleet of 166 aircraft, which includes 23 dedicated freighters renowned for their presence on transpacific routes. This provides unprecedented transparency into one of the most important trade corridors in the world, enabling forwarders to provide their own clients with faster quotes and more reliable booking confirmations.

The 'Exclusive' Alliance: A Calculated Move for Market Share

Korean Air's decision to name Freightos its "exclusive launch partner" for third-party platform distribution is a significant strategic endorsement. This exclusivity suggests a deep collaboration, allowing the airline to execute a controlled and focused entry into multi-carrier digital distribution. By partnering with a single, established platform for its launch, the carrier can streamline technical integration, gather focused user feedback, and fine-tune its digital sales strategy before potentially expanding to other platforms.

For Freightos, this exclusive status is a major competitive victory. It solidifies the platform's position as a premier gateway for air cargo digitalization, especially in the crucial Asian market. Joyce Tai, Executive Vice President of Worldwide Partnerships at Freightos, highlighted the deal's importance, stating, "Korean Air is one of the world's premier carriers, and welcoming them onto the Freightos network is a significant milestone for digital freight in Asia."

This alliance strengthens the network effect for the digital platform; adding a top-tier airline makes the platform more valuable to its thousands of forwarder users, which in turn makes it a more attractive distribution channel for other airlines. It's a strategic move that could influence other major carriers in the region to accelerate their own digital platform strategies.

Under the Hood: The Technology and Financial Outlook

The foundation of this partnership is a sophisticated API (Application Programming Interface) that connects Korean Air's internal cargo management system directly to the Freightos platform. This technology enables the seamless, real-time exchange of data, ensuring that the rates and capacity displayed to forwarders are always current. It's this deep integration that powers the instant eBooking capability, automating what was once a manual back-and-forth.

For Freightos, which recently joined the IATA Digitalization Leadership Charter to help advance air cargo connectivity standards, this partnership is crucial for its growth trajectory. The company, which reported a 24% year-over-year surge in gross booking value to $343 million in the first quarter of 2026, is focused on scaling its transaction volume to achieve its goal of adjusted EBITDA breakeven by the end of the year. Adding a carrier of Korean Air's stature is expected to significantly boost transactions on the platform and enhance investor confidence.

For Korean Air, the benefits extend beyond operational efficiency. The wealth of data generated from digital bookings provides invaluable market intelligence, enabling the airline to optimize pricing, manage capacity more dynamically, and better understand demand patterns. As the industry continues its march toward a fully digital future, this partnership positions both companies not just as participants, but as architects of the new landscape. The initial deployment across North American and European routes to Asia will be watched closely by the industry as a barometer for the speed and scale of air cargo's ongoing digital revolution.