The Air Cargo Outlook: De Minimis Ban, Tariffs & Peak Season

Temu, Shein, and other fast-growing e-commerce giants are facing a seismic change in how they ship to U.S. consumers. In this episode of The Freight Buyers’ Club – produced with the support of MSC Air Cargo – host Mike King is joined by three leading voices in global logistics to unpack the end of the U.S. $800 de minimis exemption, its upcoming global suspension, and the ripple effects for air cargo, forwarders, and shippers. Guests: Brandon Fried – Executive Director, Airforwarders Association Neel Jones Shah – Senior Advisor, The Boston Consulting Group & MD at INOA Capital (former EVP at Flexport and Chief Cargo Officer at Delta Air Lines) Damian Brett – Editor, Air Cargo News Discussion highlights: What ending de minimis means for cross-border e-commerce flows How integrators like DHL, FedEx and UPS are adapting Which trade lanes could benefit from shifting volumes Deep dive on key air cargo markets including the transatlantic, India, Latin America and Southeast Asia The role of Latin America as Chinese e-commerce pivots away from the U.S. New tariffs and their impact on high-value, time-sensitive air cargo Will peak season 2025 be muted – or surprise to the upside?