Watch Out for Hidden Costs with Cheap Air Freight to Dubai
Ahmed needed to ship some electronics via air freight to Dubai, but he hesitated when he saw my plan and quote. Here’s why.
He had previously chosen a forwarder who offered a very low, attractive price. Ahmed couldn’t resist and sent one shipment with them. However, during customs clearance, he found out the forwarder hadn’t included all the clearance and transportation fees. When the goods arrived in Dubai, he had to pay extra charges, making the total cost not cheap at all.
This is common with air freight to Dubai. Many forwarders offer seemingly attractive low prices by hiding costs in certain parts of the process. By the time you realize it, it’s too late. They are often just looking for a one-time deal, not hoping for your repeat business. Let’s be honest—what forwarder would work for no profit?
I explained to Ahmed that this is usually the practice of small forwarders with just a handful of staff, who are focused on quick gains. So, for air freight to Dubai, if you find a forwarder with a price that’s too good to be true, there’s almost always a catch. It’s hard to spot at first. Everything might seem smooth initially, but problems will pop up somewhere down the line. The root cause is choosing an unreliable forwarder. That’s why selecting the right forwarding company is crucial.
Generally, for air freight to Dubai, the reliability of a forwarder is often related to the company’s size. Larger companies tend to be more reliable—this makes sense. Big forwarders have standardized procedures and regulated pricing. For example, we once handled electronics worth 40 million RMB for Huawei. They chose us precisely because of our large scale and standardized operations. In a way, Huawei has already paved the way for you.
Small forwarders, on the other hand, often focus on clever talk and tactics to make clients feel like they’re getting a great deal. Clients get hooked step by step, and by the time they see the hidden pitfalls later on, it’s too late—they have to pay up.
Small forwarders hardly have any assets. They might just rent a small 20-square-meter office and are ready to move at any time, which makes it easy for them to disappear after a one-time deal. If they run into trouble they can’t handle, they simply shut down and start over elsewhere.
We are different. Large forwarders like us have been built over 10 to 20 years and have solid assets. For instance, we own an entire 1,800-square-meter floor (Floor 8, Tower B, Rongde International Plaza, Longgang District)—it’s not leased, it’s our own property. This is a true reflection of hard strength. Many clients are distrustful at first, worried we might also have hidden tricks. I don’t just explain; I directly invite them to visit our office.
For air freight to Dubai, both small and large forwarders advertise online with videos. A tiny forwarder with a few staff and a large-scale company like us might post similar videos, both claiming to be the best and exaggerating their capabilities. From videos alone, every forwarder looks impressive! So, you can’t tell the real difference just by watching. Don’t trust anyone blindly—not even what I say. Go see the company yourself. See if it’s just a shell company or a legitimate one. That’s something you can’t fake.
If you can’t visit in person, that’s okay. I often invite clients for a video tour of our company. Many clients only feel comfortable signing a contract after seeing our office and our team of nearly 100 employees, truly understanding who we are.
DL Logistics, one of the top five for air freight to the Middle East. We secure 20 pallet spaces weekly through exclusive agreements with two major airlines. We have priority clearance channels at UAE airports, allowing queue-jumping for warehouse pickups. Our local logistics team answers calls even at 2 AM. Shipments delivered in the morning arrive by noon; those sent at noon arrive in the afternoon. Truly deserving of being called one of the top five.
DL Middle East Air Freight—those who have used our service say it’s smooth.