DHL Aviation, the aviation business of DHL Express, has introduced Xcelerate, a premium fast-track airport-to-airport cargo product.
Giving customers a priority shipping service, Xcelerate offers “the fastest available shipping option with guaranteed capacity and shorter transit times”, DHL said.
Xcelerate adds to DHL Aviation’s range of international air cargo products for freight forwarders and shippers.
Customers of the new service will benefit from immediate booking confirmations within the scope of a guaranteed service, ensuring that late bookings are accommodated efficiently.
Xcelerate also allows for last-minute cargo acceptance, close to flight departures, with high loading priority. This means that shipments can be dispatched with guaranteed capacity at short notice (subject to availability).
Furthermore, Xcelerate ensures priority release at the destination airport, meaning that shipments that arrive last will be the first to be recovered.
A dedicated customer service team will oversee shipments end-to-end, sending email notifications to keep customers informed of developments throughout the shipping process.
Ingrid Raj, global head of aviation commercial at DHL Express, explained: “This ‘must-fly’ offering has been developed based on customer feedback and the collaboration of various departments.”
And Paul Ennis, vice president of global operations at DHL Aviation, added: “With the introduction of Xcelerate, we are further living up to our customer promise of ‘Excellence, Simply Delivered’ by providing the highest levels of flexibility and attention for their cargo with a standardised, easy-to-access service.”
Xcelerate is said to align with DHL’s sustainability goals, as it incorporates a mandatory Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) surcharge, thus supporting DHL’s commitment to achieving over 30% SAF blending by 2030 and reaching net-zero emissions by 2050.
Trends in e-commerce
In other news from the express services giant, DHL’s E-Commerce Trends Report 2025 suggests that artificial intelligence (AI) technology and social media are reshaping online shopping.
Its conclusions include that delivery vitally important to users (and so retailers), the report saying that 81% of shoppers abandon their carts when preferred delivery options are missing.
There is also greater concern for sustainability in online shopping, with one in three shoppers drop out due to sustainability concerns, while social commerce is taking centre stage, with 70% of global consumers expecting to shop primarily through social media by 2030 – ie, bypassing traditional websites entirely.
The report also found that AI has become essential, with seven in 10 shoppers wanting AI-driven shopping tools – such as virtual try-ons and voice search – to guide their purchasing decisions.
Pablo Ciano, chief executive of DHL eCommerce, informed: “Our E-Commerce Trends Report analyses the trends and developments shaping online shopping worldwide to help our customers grow their businesses.
“Logistics plays a crucial role in this process, and we see ourselves as a vital partner, offering our customers relevant insights, expertise, and solutions to drive their success.”
