RFD eyes international freighter network expansion

Chicago Rockford International Airport is eyeing network expansion into Latin America and Asia, driven by the growth of own-controlled e-commerce and AI-related shipments, respectively. Though tariffs briefly cooled e-commerce demand last year, interest has been renewed, thanks in part to the growth of own-controlled shipments by freight forwarders and select e-commerce companies, Zack Oakley, executive director of Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD), told Cargo Facts . [caption id="attachment_57298389" align="aligncenter" width="1333"] RFD is a hub for UPS and Amazon. (Courtesy/Chicago Rockford International Airport)[/caption] RFD sees opportunities to expand connections into South America, where e-commerce demand is growing, driven by the European Union’s new de minimis charge on low-value packages, pushing some traffic away from that market, Oakley said. The new rules took effect July 1. Last month, Denmark’s DSV launched a weekly nonstop, own-controlled flight connecting RFD to Luxembourg (LUX) using 777F capacity with Atlas Air. The forwarder also launched an own-controlled route last year connecting RFD with Shanghai (PVG), also operated by an Atlas 777F. Increases in AI-related shipments and volumes of pharmaceutical exports are spurring RFD to explore network expansion into Asia, particularly India, Oakley said. The airport, which is about 70 miles northwest of O'Hare International Airport (ORD), expects to add more freighter routes this year, he added. Further growth opportunities RFD also aims to attract sustainability-minded carriers with its quick landing and takeoff cycles — which reduce operating costs and emissions — and a SAF refinery that will be built adjacent to the airport, Oakley told Cargo Facts. Having SAF near the airfield would eliminate nearly all transportation costs, he said. “We’re a little bit different than some airports,” Oakley said. “We’re not waiting for some third party to make the investment. If we feel it’s there and we feel a risk needs to be taken, the airport has a history of taking big swings to try to make something happen.” “The goal is to create a gateway or a hub-type operation where we can transit freight to multiple locations,” Oakley said. “To continue to add to our international opportunities.” New terminal RFD this month broke ground on a 334,800-square-foot logistics facility that is slated for completion in 2027 and was designed to accommodate cargo, logistics, distribution, light manufacturing and assembly operations, the airport said in a July 8 release. The building is the first phase of an expansion dubbed Rockford Logistics Park 20. In 2025, RFD’s throughput reached 1.5 million tonnes, a 9.4% increase over the previous year and just 51 tonnes shy of the airport’s peak-pandemic record, according to a release. Throughput this year is expected to be on par with 2025, thanks to domestic flights by Amazon and UPS. Parcels carried by UPS on behalf of the USPS were the greatest contributing factor, Oakley said. UPS operates about 150 weekly flights to RFD, a UPS spokesperson told Cargo Facts . At the same time, Amazon has seven to ten daily flights at RFD, Oakley confirmed to Cargo Facts . They are operated by ABX Air and Air Transport International using 767-300Fs. Cargo Facts Symposium 2026, the premier event for the freighter aircraft and air cargo industries, will take place in Nashville, Tenn., on Oct. 21-23. Find out more and register by Sept. 4 to take advantage of early-bird pricing.

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