BONN- DHL Global Forwarding has launched a dedicated freighter service operating three times weekly between Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) and Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG), the company’s Americas hub.
The route anchors a new product called TransPac Connect and carries up to 100 tons per flight, complemented by extensive road feeder connectivity across the United States.
The solution also gives customers broader access to the Transpacific network through coverage in Vietnam via Hanoi (HAN) and Taiwan via Taipei (TPE), connecting shipments to key United States gateways including Cincinnati (CVG) and Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD).
Inside the TransPac Connect Air Freight Solution
The Bangkok to Cincinnati rotation uses high capacity widebody freighters. In a market environment often marked by disruption and fluctuating rates, the dedicated service provides secure main deck capacity, stable schedules, and improved cost predictability, letting shippers lock in transport capacity and plan further ahead.
The offering targets manufacturers and exporters moving high value and oversized cargo who need reliable alternatives in a volatile market. DHL Global Forwarding maintains end-to-end operational control throughout the shipment journey.
Henk Venema, Global Head of Air Freight at DHL Global Forwarding, said:
Southeast Asia continues to gain strategic importance as a manufacturing and sourcing region. With our new Bangkok-Cincinnati connection and broader Transpacific network coverage, we are offering customers not only speed and capacity, but also the reliability and control they need to build more resilient supply chains. Expanding our controlled air freight capacity is a key lever to help customers navigate volatility and respond to disruption more effectively.”
Transpacific Air Cargo Demand
Southeast Asia is of growing importance to air cargo operators as logistics networks shift to the region, in part to diversify supply chains and reduce reliance on China.
Venema has separately pointed to rising demand for the movement of data centre equipment containing servers and data storage, a category that falls squarely into the oversized and high value bracket the Bangkok (BKK) service is built for.
Rival carriers are circling the same corridor, with Emirates SkyCargo preparing a round-the-world transpacific operation routing through Hanoi, Anchorage, and Chicago.
DHL Bangkok and Cincinnati Freighter Service
Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) has served as the Americas hub for the Bonn based company since 2009.
According to DHL, the facility operates on 194 acres with 67 aircraft parking gates and 6.4 million square feet of ramp area, supporting 117 daily flights with a fleet of 64 aircraft. It is one of three DHL global superhubs, alongside Hong Kong and Germany, and processes roughly 50 million international shipments each year for the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Latin America.
Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport is one of the carrier’s key Asia airports, placing both ends of the new route inside existing infrastructure.
Part of Wider Controlled Capacity Strategy
TransPac Connect forms part of a broader controlled capacity strategy supported by a dedicated air freight network spanning Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, including multiple weekly rotations across hubs such as Frankfurt, Liège, Amsterdam, and Hong Kong.
The Transpacific launch follows a recent expansion on the Asia to Europe lane, which introduced twice weekly dedicated flights using DHL Express Boeing 777 freighters on Shanghai to Leipzig and Hong Kong to Liège routings.
Continued investment in the dedicated air freight network, combined with synergies across DHL Group divisions and airline partners, allows customers to build resilience into their supply chains while maintaining flexibility, cost efficiency, and operational stability.
Market Data Supports the Timing
IATA data for May 2026 shows Asia to North America cargo tonne kilometres grew 19.9 percent year over year, the fourth consecutive month of growth on a lane accounting for 23.5 percent of industry volumes.
IATA called the corridor the strongest performing major trade lane, with growth reaching the highest pace among major corridors.
Global air cargo demand rose 6.0 percent in May while capacity increased only 1.9 percent. Dedicated freighters drove most of that growth, with freighter traffic up 11 percent year over year and the Asia to North America lane absorbing the bulk of the additional volume.
Financial Backdrop
DHL Group raised its full year 2026 guidance in early July, lifting expected reported Group EBIT to above EUR 6.5 billion from a previous EUR 6.2 billion after second quarter earnings beat market expectations.
Group revenue rose more than 10 percent year over year in the quarter, and Group EBIT reached around EUR 1,850 million against EUR 1,429 million a year earlier, an increase of roughly 29 percent.
DHL Global Forwarding generated EBIT of around EUR 240 million, up from EUR 196 million, helped by an estimated low to mid double-digit million benefit from managing market disruptions. The full second quarter report is due on August 5, 2026.
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