Flowers & plants air freight from United Arab Emirates to Saudi Arabia

Why flowers & plants by airfreight?

Cut flowers and plants have a shelf life of only a few days. Airfreight is not an option — it is the only option. Roses picked in Kenya on Monday must be in the auction in Aalsmeer by Wednesday. This is only possible via airfreight with a controlled cold chain.

The Netherlands is the world’s largest trading nation in cut flowers and Schiphol is the epicenter. Aircargo.nl has many years of experience with the specific requirements of flower transport: speed, cooling, phytosanitary documentation, and direct delivery to the auction.

Typical flower transport routes

• Kenya (roses, lilies) → Schiphol: multiple times per day
• Ecuador & Colombia (roses, chrysanthemums) → Schiphol via Miami or direct
• Ethiopia → Schiphol: growing cut flower sector
• Export Dutch flowers → US, Japan, Russia, China

Exporting to the UAE

The UAE is one of the fastest-growing economies worldwide and a top destination for Dutch exporters, especially in the construction, technology, luxury goods, and food sectors. Dubai World Central (DWB) and Dubai International (DXB) together form one of the busiest air freight hubs in the world.

Customs & Requirements

The UAE has low customs duties (standard 5%) and a simple import regime—one of the reasons why the country is so popular as a trading destination. However, documents must be fully accurate: a missing or incorrect invoice leads directly to delays. Alcoholic beverages, certain medicines, and dual-use goods are strictly regulated or prohibited.

Practical Information

• Halal certification mandatory for food products
• Flight time from AMS approximately 7 hours—next-day delivery possible for urgent shipments
• Currency AED is pegged to the USD—stable trading environment
• Ramadan causes adjusted working hours—plan shipments accordingly

Importing from Saudi Arabia

Imports from Saudi Arabia mainly consist of petrochemical products, plastics, dates, and specialized industrial components. For air freight, we primarily see high-value shipments, samples, and urgent parts for the chemical sector.

Air Freight vs. Sea Freight

Sea freight from Jeddah or Dammam takes 18–22 days to Rotterdam. Air freight via Schiphol takes 1–2 business days including handling — ideal for samples, AOG spare parts, or urgent replacements.

Customs for Imports from Saudi Arabia

EU import duties apply depending on the HS code. Anti-dumping or countervailing duties may apply for petrochemical products. Aircargo.nl manages full customs clearance with Dutch customs and provides fiscal representation when needed.

Popular goods imported from Saudi Arabia

• Petrochemical semi-finished products and plastics
• Industrial components and samples
• Specialty chemicals for the European market
• Dates and specific food products

UAE as a Regional Distribution Hub

Dubai (DXB) and Abu Dhabi (AUH) are the logistics hubs of the Middle East. Many goods destined for Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, or Pakistan are routed through the UAE. Aircargo.nl can forward shipments via Schiphol to Dubai, after which our local agent handles distribution in the region.

The UAE has a zero-tolerance customs policy: documents must be fully accurate. Our documentation specialists check every shipment before departure.

Points of attention for flower transport

Cold chain

Flowers must be kept between 2–8°C throughout the entire transport. Any temperature interruption accelerates the aging process and reduces shelf life for the end customer. Aircargo.nl works exclusively with certified cool-chain handlers at Schiphol.

Phytosanitary requirements

A phytosanitary certificate is mandatory for importing plants and cut flowers from countries outside the EU. This certificate is issued by the plant health authority of the exporting country and confirms that the shipment is free from pests. Aircargo.nl routinely checks and processes all phytosanitary documents.

CITES

Certain orchids and exotic plants fall under CITES protection and require a CITES permit. Always contact us if you are unsure about the CITES status of your products.