The air freight industry is adjusting to the end of de-minimis customs concessions in the US, with tighter compliance and small-parcels giving way to heavier, consolidated shipments, Airforwarders Association (AfA) executive director, Brandon Fried (pictured, center) told the FIATA World Congress 2025 in Hanoi on 9 October.
He said that AfA members have reported higher duties, longer cycle times, and greater complexity in returns management since the de minimis thresholds ended on August 29.
“The industry has moved overnight from light-touch clearance to full formal entry,” he said. “We are seeing fewer parcels but larger, better-documented shipments. Fraud has dropped, but working-capital and compliance burdens have climbed sharply. “Realignment is far from finished.”
Fried urged forwarders to consolidate smartly, invest in master data and tariff governance, and design returns solutions through Free Trade Zones or Inward Processing Relief schemes.
He said forwarders must address duty cash-flow early and strengthen visibility across purchase orders to manage the post-de-minimis environment effectively.
