Lufthansa Cargo tracking

What is Lufthansa Cargo?

Lufthansa Cargo AG is a German cargo airline and a wholly owned subsidiary of Deutsche Lufthansa AG. Based at Frankfurt Airport, the company operates as an airport-to-airport specialist in international air freight, combining its own dedicated freighter fleet with access to belly cargo space across the broader Lufthansa Group passenger network. This dual-access model extends Lufthansa Cargo's reach to approximately 300 to 350 destinations in more than 100 countries. Rather than serving individual consumers, the company works within the business-to-business air freight market handling shipments for freight forwarders, logistics companies, pharmaceutical manufacturers, agricultural exporters, automotive and aerospace companies, live animal transport specialists, and cross-border e-commerce operators.

The roots of Lufthansa Cargo stretch back nearly a century. Deutsche Luft Hansa, the predecessor airline, was founded in 1926, and cargo operations were introduced two years later in 1928. The modern dedicated freight entity took shape in 1977, when Lufthansa established German Cargo Services GmbH as a standalone operation. The company was formally relaunched and renamed Lufthansa Cargo AG in 1994, with flight operations beginning on January 1, 1995. At launch, the fleet comprised five McDonnell Douglas DC-8 freighters, ten Boeing 747-200Fs, and two Boeing 737 freighters. In 2000, Lufthansa Cargo became a founding member of the WOW Alliance together with Singapore Airlines Cargo and SAS Cargo, though it departed this arrangement in 2007 as its own network matured.

The 2000s brought a series of structural developments. The time:matters subsidiary was established in 2002 for same-day and urgent courier logistics. In 2004, the company was formally restructured as an Aktiengesellschaft, and the same year saw the founding of Jettainer, initially a joint venture with TrenStar Inc, for unit load device management. The AeroLogic joint venture with DHL Express, based at Leipzig/Halle Airport and operating Boeing 777F freighters, was formed in 2007. By 2009, Jettainer had become a fully owned Lufthansa Cargo subsidiary. The 2010s were defined by an aggressive build-out of pharmaceutical logistics. A dedicated Cool Center at Frankfurt opened in December 2011, a pharma hub at Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi International Airport opened the same year, and IATA CEIV Pharma certification across the entire network was first achieved in late 2016.

• Founded: 1994, with operations beginning January 1, 1995; cargo heritage dates to 1928
• Headquarters: Frankfurt Airport, Gate 21, Building 322, D-60546 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
• Parent company: Deutsche Lufthansa AG, with 100% ownership
• IATA code: LH (shared with parent airline); ICAO code GEC; Air Waybill prefix 020
• Network: Approximately 300 to 350 destinations in more than 100 countries
• Freighter fleet: Boeing 777F for long-haul routes, Airbus A321F for medium-haul routes (joined fleet spring 2022), plus belly cargo capacity on more than 350 Lufthansa Group passenger aircraft
• Key certification: IATA CEIV Pharma across the entire network, first certified in late 2016; certified facilities at more than 28 stations globally
• Subsidiaries: time:matters GmbH (urgent logistics), Jettainer GmbH (ULD management), heyworld and CB Customs Broker (merged January 1, 2026, cross-border e-commerce)
• Joint venture: AeroLogic, 50% stake co-owned with DHL Express, based at Leipzig/Halle Airport

Lufthansa Cargo's position in the global air freight market rests on several distinct characteristics that set it apart from general cargo carriers. Its pharmaceutical cold chain infrastructure is one of the most developed in commercial aviation, with temperature-controlled handling available at up to 200 additional stations beyond the 28 CEIV Pharma-certified nodes. The Frankfurt hub processes approximately 20,000 tonnes of cargo per week, making it one of the highest-volume cargo handling facilities in Europe. The subsidiary and joint venture structure gives Lufthansa Cargo access to capabilities in urgent delivery, unit load device logistics, cross-border e-commerce customs clearance, and additional long-haul freighter capacity beyond its own aircraft.

Which countries does Lufthansa Cargo deliver to?

Lufthansa Cargo's network reaches approximately 300 to 350 destinations across more than 100 countries. The network is built on three layers, a dedicated freighter operation serving around 57 cities directly with its own aircraft, belly cargo capacity on Lufthansa Group passenger flights covering additional destinations, and a Road Feeder Service truck network that operates under Lufthansa Cargo air waybill numbers to extend reach across Europe and beyond. Frankfurt Airport is the primary global hub, processing approximately 20,000 tonnes of cargo per week and acting as the central processing point for intercontinental freight flows in both directions.

Within Europe, the coverage is particularly dense. Five cargo hub airports handle the bulk of European freight, Frankfurt, Munich, Vienna, Brussels, and Rome-Fiumicino. More than 115 European destinations are served approximately 1,600 times per week through a combination of freighter flights and Road Feeder Service truck movements. The RFS operation runs approximately 300 trucks per day and handles around 65,000 scheduled trips across Europe each year, plus a further 26,000 trips outside Europe. Munich was added as a dedicated freighter hub in June 2024, and a Munich-Istanbul route was inaugurated the same year as part of ongoing network development.

• Europe: More than 115 destinations served approximately 1,600 times per week via freighter flights and Road Feeder Service trucks; cargo hubs at Frankfurt, Munich, Vienna, Brussels, and Rome-Fiumicino
• Asia-Pacific: Freighter services to Shanghai, Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport, Zhengzhou, Tokyo, and Hong Kong; a circular Frankfurt-Ho Chi Minh City-Los Angeles route is also operated
• North America: New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago O'Hare via direct freighter; additional destinations via belly cargo and Road Feeder Service connections
• Mexico and Central America: Mexico City and Monterrey, among other destinations
• South Asia: Hyderabad, India, where a dedicated pharmaceutical hub serves the India-Europe pharma corridor; inaugurated in 2011
• Middle East and Turkey: Istanbul, with a new Munich-Istanbul route inaugurated in 2024, and additional destinations via belly cargo and partner capacity
• Global reach: Approximately 300 to 350 destinations in more than 100 countries via freighter, belly cargo, and Road Feeder Service combined

Asia-Pacific represents the strongest growth segment in the network, driven substantially by cross-border e-commerce originating in China. The AeroLogic joint venture, operating Boeing 777F freighters from Leipzig/Halle Airport, extends long-haul capacity on routes toward Asia and the Americas beyond what Lufthansa Cargo's own freighter fleet covers independently. For pharmaceutical logistics within this global geography, IATA CEIV Pharma certification is maintained at more than 28 stations, with key pharma nodes beyond Frankfurt including Munich, Chicago O'Hare, Brussels, and Shanghai. Full temperature-controlled handling capability extends to up to 200 additional stations in the network.

What are the Lufthansa Cargo services and delivery times?

Lufthansa Cargo organizes its service portfolio around two dimensions. The first is a set of three speed tiers that determine transit priority, handling protocols, and the level of monitoring applied to the shipment. The second is a series of cargo-type products addressing the specific handling requirements of different goods categories. These two dimensions can be combined in most cases, allowing shippers to match their freight to both the appropriate urgency level and the appropriate specialist handling product.

Three speed tiers form the backbone of the range. td.Pro is the standard tier, available across the full Lufthansa Group network with standard transit planning and no expedited handling fee. td.Flash is the mid-tier express option, best suited to shipments up to 500 kg, with shorter handling times at Frankfurt, Munich, Vienna, and Brussels hubs compared to td.Pro, prioritized loading, and 24/7 booking available. td.Zoom, launched November 1, 2023, is the highest-priority tier and carries no weight or size restrictions. It includes 24/7 personal customer service, proactive monitoring throughout transit, ramp supervision at both departure and arrival, and on-demand tail-to-tail transfers between aircraft at hub airports.

Transit times differ substantially across the three tiers. For a representative long-haul shipment from Shanghai to Frankfurt to Zurich, td.Pro takes approximately 45 hours, td.Flash approximately 35 hours, and td.Zoom approximately 23 hours. The Emergency Solutions product does not carry fixed transit time guarantees by route. Instead, it commits to the fastest available airport-to-airport connection on the day, with a 100% money-back guarantee triggered if the shipment is delayed by more than six hours from the committed delivery. For cross-border e-commerce shipments processed through the heyworld subsidiary, the China-to-European-last-mile window is targeted at 24 to 48 hours, with customs clearance included in the service.

• td.Pro: Standard transit tier available across the full network, designed for freight without expedited requirements; approximately 45 hours on the Shanghai-Frankfurt-Zurich example route
• td.Flash: Express tier suited to shipments up to 500 kg, with shorter hub handling times and 24/7 booking; approximately 35 hours on the same route
• td.Zoom: Highest-priority tier, no weight or size restrictions, 24/7 personal monitoring, ramp supervision, and tail-to-tail aircraft transfers; approximately 23 hours on the same route
• Active Temp Control: Active containers maintaining temperatures between -20°C and +30°C; container types include Unicooler, Opticooler, Envirotainer t-series and e-series, Releye, and CSafe; optional smartULD IoT sensor add-on provides real-time digital temperature logging throughout transit
• Passive Temp Support: Insulated packaging and thermal covers for goods tolerating minor temperature variation during ramp handling and transit; now combinable with td.Zoom
• RFS-Cool: Refrigerated Road Feeder Service trucks providing temperature control during European ground legs, available for both active and passive cooling and warming
• Perishables: Handled at the Frankfurt Perishable Center, with 20 separately supervised temperature zones ranging from -24°C to +24°C, vacuum coolers, fast coolers, quality inspection by specialist staff, and direct apron access
• Dangerous Goods: IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations-compliant handling at all stations; covers explosives, gases, flammable liquids, automobiles, magnetized materials, and temperature-sensitive dangerous goods; enhanced capacity access available as an add-on with td.Flash or td.Zoom
• Live Animals: 24/7 Frankfurt Animal Lounge with 42 adjustable horse stalls, individual stalls up to 28 square metres, dust-free sawdust, quality hay, and hard-wearing asphalt floors; compliant with IATA Live Animals Regulations and CITES conventions
• Valuables: Transport of banknotes, gold, precious stones, and donor organs under the highest available security protocols, with separate storage and camera surveillance throughout
• Vulnerables: Fine art, luxury goods, electronics, IT equipment, and prototypes stored in a 155-square-metre dedicated Frankfurt facility with 100% CCTV coverage; security hubs also in Munich and New York
• Emergency Solutions: Fastest available airport-to-airport connection worldwide, no capacity restrictions, constant supervision, 100% money-back guarantee if delayed more than six hours from committed delivery
• eCommerce via heyworld: Frankfurt e-commerce hub processing more than 100,000 parcels per day; China to European last-mile delivery in 24 to 48 hours with customs clearance included; scalable from 100-parcel batches up to 100-tonne freight loads

The temperature-controlled product range draws on an extensive active container portfolio covering everything from small consignments to full pallet loads. The optional smartULD add-on uses IoT sensors embedded in the container to record temperature data continuously throughout the shipment, generating a complete digital temperature profile accessible in real time from pickup to delivery. Passive Temp Support, using insulated packaging and thermal covers during ramp handling and transit, was made compatible with td.Zoom in a product update that allows shippers to combine the fastest available transit tier with basic temperature protection for goods that cannot tolerate extreme ambient conditions during ground transfers.

The live animal service at Frankfurt operates around the clock every day of the year. The Animal Lounge features 42 adjustable horse stalls, with individual stalls of up to 28 square metres, high-hygiene environments, dust-free sawdust, quality hay, and hard-wearing asphalt floors. Lufthansa Cargo has provided specialist horse transport for more than 30 years and developed purpose-built horse containers with VRR Aviation, each accommodating up to three horses with light-coloured interiors, sliding partitions, and a design intended to reduce animal stress during transit. All live animal shipments comply with IATA Live Animals Regulations and where applicable, CITES international conventions on trade in endangered species.

What are the Lufthansa Cargo rates and maximum dimensions accepted?

Lufthansa Cargo calculates rates on an airport-to-airport basis. The rate for a given shipment depends on four main variables, the route pair, the selected speed tier, the chargeable weight of the shipment, and any applicable surcharges or product-specific handling fees. Chargeable weight follows the standard air cargo convention of taking the greater value between actual gross weight and volumetric weight. Published standard rates can be downloaded from the company's eServices portal, while customer-specific contract rates are accessible to registered IATA CASS account holders through the same portal or through direct negotiation with regional Lufthansa Cargo sales offices.

Third-party booking platforms including cargo.one, and CargoAi also provide access to Lufthansa Cargo rates and booking functions. The cargo.one platform processes direct online bookings up to 10,000 kg. Shipments above this threshold typically require direct engagement with the Lufthansa Cargo sales team. The td.Flash tier is suited to shipments up to 500 kg, positioning it as the preferred express option for mid-size freight. The td.Zoom tier carries no weight or size restrictions and is available for shipments of any scale requiring the highest handling priority.

• Rate basis: Airport-to-airport, determined by route pair, speed tier, chargeable weight, and applicable surcharges
• Chargeable weight: The greater of actual gross weight and volumetric weight, following standard IATA air cargo practice
• td.Flash weight guideline: Suited to shipments up to 500 kg
• td.Zoom weight limit: No weight or size restrictions
• Online booking threshold (cargo.one): Up to 10,000 kg processed directly online; larger volumes require direct sales team contact
• eCommerce scale (heyworld): Handles batches from 100 parcels up to full 100-tonne freight loads on the China-to-Europe corridor
• Non-eAWB surcharge: $50 per shipment on routes where electronic Air Waybill submission is technically possible but a paper AWB is submitted instead

Additional handling charges may apply at export, transit, or import locations depending on the product category and the country involved, as detailed in the charges and fees schedule published on the company's website. The non-electronic Air Waybill surcharge is one cost that shippers should account for specifically. On routes where the eAWB system is supported by the infrastructure, choosing to submit a paper waybill instead incurs a $50 fee per shipment. This charge reflects Lufthansa Cargo's push for full adoption of electronic documentation across applicable routes, consistent with broader IATA industry digitalization targets.

What are the Lufthansa Cargo delivery options?

Lufthansa Cargo operates exclusively as an airport-to-airport air freight carrier. The company does not offer consumer-facing home delivery, parcel locker networks, or pickup point services of the type operated by national postal organizations or parcel carriers. At the destination airport, shipments are made available for collection at the cargo facility by the consignee or their appointed freight forwarder. The final delivery leg to the end recipient is arranged separately through the forwarder, a ground handler, or a local last-mile carrier contracted by the forwarder in the destination country.

• Airport cargo facility collection: Shipments are collected at the destination airport cargo facility by the consignee or their freight forwarder upon arrival and customs clearance
• Last-mile via freight forwarder: Final delivery to the end recipient is arranged by the freight forwarder or a local delivery partner contracted by the forwarder
• eCommerce last-mile (heyworld): For e-commerce shipments processed via heyworld, last-mile delivery to European addresses is coordinated as part of the end-to-end service, with specific delivery options determined by the local last-mile partner in each country
• Live animal reception: Specialist reception protocols apply at the Frankfurt Animal Lounge and equivalent facilities at partner airports, with veterinary and animal welfare standards observed throughout the handover process
• Urgent and emergency reception: Dedicated ramp supervision and on-demand tail-to-tail aircraft transfers at hub airports for td.Zoom and Emergency Solutions shipments; a 24/7 customer service team monitors transit and intervenes proactively if disruption occurs

For e-commerce parcels processed through the heyworld subsidiary, last-mile delivery to European addresses is coordinated as part of the full service rather than left to the consignee to arrange independently. The heyworld e-commerce hub at Frankfurt handles more than 100,000 parcels per day, and the pipeline from China to European last-mile delivery is targeted within 24 to 48 hours, with customs clearance built into the service. The specific delivery options available at the recipient's address, such as home delivery or a pickup point, depend on the last-mile partner operating in the relevant country.

For time-sensitive freight handled under the td.Zoom tier or the Emergency Solutions product, a 24/7 customer service team monitors the shipment from departure to arrival. Ramp supervision is provided at both the departure and destination airports, and tail-to-tail transfers between aircraft are arranged on demand at hub airports. This level of active oversight is intended to catch and address disruptions at the transit and departure stages, which represent the most common sources of delay in international air freight movements.

What should I do if my Lufthansa Cargo parcel is lost or damaged?

Claims for lost, damaged, or delayed air freight handled by Lufthansa Cargo are submitted through a dedicated cargo claims portal built on the IATA CCLP platform. No prior account is required to begin a claim. The claimant fills in the online claim form, provides the relevant Air Waybill number and the airline contact details, and submits. An account is created automatically upon the first submission, giving access to a personal dashboard for monitoring all submitted claims over time. The 11-digit AWB number, beginning with the prefix 020, is the primary identifier needed to locate the shipment in the system.

• Claims portal: Available through the dedicated cargo claims portal built on the IATA CCLP platform; no prior account required to file
• AWB number required: The 11-digit Air Waybill number (prefix 020 followed by eight digits) identifies the shipment in the claims system
• Account creation: Automatic upon the first claim submission; provides a dashboard for tracking all claims
• Phone support: Available Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 20:00 Central European Time
• Postal address: Lufthansa Cargo AG, Frankfurt Airport, Gate 21, Building 322, D-60546 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
• Emergency Solutions refund: 100% money-back guarantee if a shipment handled under the Emergency Solutions product is delayed by more than six hours from the committed delivery time
• Cold chain documentation: For temperature-sensitive shipments using the smartULD IoT add-on, a complete digital temperature log generated throughout transit is available as documentary evidence for cold chain-related claims

The Emergency Solutions product carries the most specific refund commitment in the Lufthansa Cargo range, a 100% money-back guarantee if the shipment arrives more than six hours after the committed delivery time. For pharmaceutical and other temperature-sensitive shipments where the smartULD add-on was used, the IoT sensor data generates a continuous digital temperature profile covering the entire transit from pickup to delivery. This digital record functions as concrete documentary evidence for quality or claims assessments tied to cold chain integrity, reducing the evidentiary burden on shippers when filing temperature-related claims against the carrier.

Does Lufthansa Cargo handle international shipments and customs formalities?

International air freight is the entirety of Lufthansa Cargo's business. Every shipment the company handles crosses at least one international border, and operations extend across more than 100 countries. Shipments move under the IATA air waybill system, with customs formalities at origin and destination governed by the laws of each respective country. For general freight, import customs clearance at destination, including the payment of applicable duties and taxes, is typically the responsibility of the consignee or their appointed freight forwarder. Lufthansa Cargo itself operates as an airport-to-airport carrier and does not universally provide delivered-duty-paid services for general freight.

For cross-border e-commerce flows, the CB Customs Broker entity, now merged with heyworld as of January 1, 2026, offers integrated customs clearance specifically covering the China-to-Europe corridor. E-commerce customers on this lane can access end-to-end logistics including customs documentation and duty payment within a single arrangement, without engaging a separate customs agent at the European destination. The heyworld hub at Frankfurt handles more than 100,000 parcels per day on this corridor, with the full China-to-European-last-mile pipeline, including customs clearance, targeted at 24 to 48 hours.

Pharmaceutical shipments receive a distinct level of customs documentation support within the Lufthansa Cargo network. At more than 28 CEIV Pharma-certified stations globally, all relevant customs and regulatory documentation for temperature-sensitive medical products is processed in line with Good Distribution Practice standards and applicable national pharmaceutical import regulations. This matters because pharmaceutical customs clearance in many countries requires temperature monitoring records alongside standard commercial documents, and the carrier's cold chain infrastructure produces those records as a standard part of the handling process.

Dangerous goods shipments require full compliance with IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations, and the Shipper's Declaration for Dangerous Goods must accompany every such shipment. Live animal shipments must comply with CITES permits where the species transported falls under that convention, as well as the health certificates and import permits required by the destination country. Valuables shipments, including currency movements and gold bullion, may require specific customs declarations at origin and destination depending on the jurisdictions involved. Lufthansa Cargo's specialist product teams provide guidance on the required documentation for each of these categories as part of the booking process.

Understanding tracking statuses

When a Lufthansa Cargo shipment is tracked online, the Air Waybill number used as the tracking reference follows a specific format. The 11-digit number consists of a three-digit airline prefix, 020 for Lufthansa Cargo, a hyphen, and eight digits, for example 020-12345678. The prefix 020 is the unique identifier for Lufthansa Cargo shipments within the international air cargo system. Tracking is available through the official eServices tracking portal, the Lufthansa Cargo mobile application, and via a developer API for integration into transport management and logistics systems. Third-party platforms including cargo.one, CargoAi, Parcelsapp, also carry Lufthansa Cargo tracking data.

Customers can configure tracking alerts delivered by email, SMS, or fax for key status changes throughout the shipment journey. For td.Zoom shipments, the dedicated 24/7 customer service team provides additional proactive status updates beyond the automated tracking events, contacting customers directly if any disruption or delay is detected in transit. For Active Temp Control shipments using the smartULD add-on, continuous IoT sensor data supplements the standard milestone-based tracking with a real-time temperature profile from pickup to delivery, accessible digitally throughout the entire transit.