Valuable goods by Air Freight to England

Valuable goods by air freight: security and speed

Gold, diamonds, watches, art, jewelry, banknotes and other valuable goods have two things in common: they are small (light shipments) and the value per kilogram is extremely high. Air freight is not only the fastest for this type of goods — it is also the safest mode of transport.

Sea freight with a container full of valuable goods is a security nightmare: container theft, long dwell times at ports, limited traceability. Air freight via secure cargo terminals with direct handling from aircraft to vault minimizes the risk.

What do we ship as valuable goods?

• Precious metals: gold, silver, platinum (in bars or coins)
• Precious stones: diamonds (certified), rubies, emeralds
• Luxury watches and jewelry (for brands, retailers and private individuals)
• Art and antiques (with ATA Carnet for temporary import)
• Banknotes and securities (on behalf of banks and central banks)
• Smartphones and high-end electronics with high street value

Exporting to the United Kingdom

Post-Brexit, the UK is a fully-fledged third country — which means exports from the Netherlands to the UK now require export declarations, a commercial invoice, packing list, and in many cases a Certificate of Origin. For goods with Dutch or EU origin, an EUR.1 or origin statement is required to benefit from the zero tariff under the TCA (Trade and Cooperation Agreement).

Practical Considerations

• UK importer must be registered with HMRC with an EORI number
• Pharmaceuticals and medical devices require MHRA approval for the UK market
• Food safety: DEFRA regulations for food products are strict
• Flight time AMS–LHR approximately 1.5 hours — same-day possible with morning departure

Aircargo.nl has extensive post-Brexit experience and guides you through all documentation for a seamless process.

Important notes for valuable goods

Secure handling mandatory

Valuable goods at Schiphol are exclusively processed via secure cargo terminals with access control, CCTV surveillance and armed security if required. Aircargo.nl cooperates with specialized valuables handlers certified for high-value cargo.

Insurance

Standard air freight insurance covers up to 22 SDR per kilogram — usually insufficient for valuable goods. Aircargo.nl always advises additional all-risk transport insurance based on the actual value. We can arrange this insurance upon request.

Documentation

A detailed value declaration with serial numbers, photos and certificates (e.g. GIA certificate for diamonds, authenticity certificates for art) is essential. Upon import into some countries (e.g. India, UAE) high-value shipments are routinely subject to extra checks.

Routing & splitting

For very high values (above €500,000) we advise splitting the shipment over multiple flights to reduce risk. This requires coordination with the recipient and possibly additional security measures at the destination.