Air freighting a car to the UK

For tight deadlines and high-value cars. Most routes take days rather than weeks.

Cargo being loaded onto an aircraft

When air freight makes sense

If a car needs to be here by a certain date, or it is valuable enough that you want the shortest possible journey, flying it is the answer. Timings depend on when planes are flying the route and how busy it is.

It is a niche part of car transport, so we always suggest a chat first so we can tell you what is realistic.

What happens

Once you have your quote and decide to go ahead, we send you a short list of what happens next and anything you need to do.

The car needs a low fuel level and must not be leaking anything. We arrange collection to the airport, the export customs work, and the unloading and UK customs clearance when it lands. There are a few more steps in the background, and we deal with those on your behalf.

Common routes

You can fly a car from almost anywhere. The route we handle most is the UAE to the UK, and our partners can get a car onto a plane from most places in the world.

What it costs

Weight, distance, timescale and admin fees all play a part, and prices move with wider economic factors too. It is a substantial cost, so we price every air freight job individually.

It is the quickest way by a distance, but it is rarely the cheapest, which is why most people choose a container.

Questions people ask

How long does air freight take?

Days rather than weeks on most routes, depending on when planes are flying and how busy the route is.

What route do you fly most?

The UAE to the UK, and our partners can get a car onto a plane from most places in the world.

How should the car be prepared?

It needs a low fuel level and must not be leaking anything. We send you a short list of what to do once you go ahead.

Read next

Shipping is half the job

Then My Car Import puts it on UK plates.

Shipping a Car is part of My Car Import, so when the container is unloaded the car is already where it needs to be. It goes straight into testing and registration on the same site, with no extra transport and no waiting for a test slot somewhere else.

  • One of only seven privately operated IVA centres in Great Britain
  • The only privately owned MSVA test centre in Great Britain
  • A dealer-level DVLA account, so we register imported cars within 10 working days
  • In-house conversions and test preparation, from lights to speedos

Tell us about your car

Where it is, what it is and when you need it here. We will price the whole import, from collection abroad to UK registration with My Car Import, not just the boat.

Free and no obligation. A real person writes every quote.

Rather talk it through? Call 01332 810442

Get a quote