Flowers & plants air freight from United States to United Kingdom

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 United States

The US is the largest importer in the world and a top destination for Dutch exporters. Schiphol offers daily direct cargo flights to New York (JFK), Los Angeles (LAX), Chicago (ORD), and Atlanta (ATL), with a flight time of about 9 hours. Due to the wide availability, air freight rates to the US are generally competitive.

US Customs & Border Protection (CBP)

US customs requires a correct Airway Bill, commercial invoice, and packing list for every shipment. Shipments over $800 require a formal customs entry (ISF declaration). Electronics, pharmaceuticals, and dual-use goods may require additional permits, such as an EAR export license or FDA registration of the manufacturer.

What you need to know

• Lithium batteries are subject to IATA DGR rules — always notify in advance
• Certain goods fall under EAR (Export Administration Regulations) and require a BIS license
• The US has no VAT but does charge customs duties — your buyer pays these upon import
• ISF 10+2 declaration is mandatory for sea freight; AMS (Advance Manifest System) applies for air freight

Aircargo.nl handles the complete export documentation towards the US and has established relationships with US customs agents at all major hubs.

Importing from the United Kingdom

Importing from the UK to the Netherlands is post-Brexit formally a customs clearance with all accompanying documents: commercial invoice, packing list, Certificate of Origin and any permits. For goods of British origin, a zero rate applies under the TCA agreement, provided documentation is correct.

Popular British products

• Pharmaceuticals and biotech products
• Aerospace components (UK is a major aircraft producer)
• Whisky and food products (with DEFRA documents)
• Fintech hardware and software

Aircargo.nl handles the complete post-Brexit clearance and ensures your goods arrive without customs surprises.

US as a crosstrade hub via Schiphol

Schiphol is one of the few European airports with a fully equipped customs bonded warehouse, allowing goods from the US to transit via AMS to Asia, the Middle East, or Africa without formal EU import procedures. This makes the US–Schiphol route particularly suitable as a crosstrade hub for multinationals organizing their European distribution through the Netherlands.

Aircargo.nl coordinates US crosstrades for clients in sectors such as pharma, aviation, and tech, managing the full transit — including handling, documentation, and onward carriage — from a single point.

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.