Charter brokers are under increasing pressure to adapt to a rapidly changing environment in 2025. As customer expectations evolve, charter brokers are adjusting their strategies to deliver more personalised and reliable services. Clients increasingly demand a professional, tailored experience, and brokers are finding that the human element remains vital.

The demand for relief cargo and e-commerce shipments is expected to remain strong, driven by ongoing global crises and the continued growth of online retail. These sectors present reliable opportunities for charter brokers to expand their services and meet the growing need for rapid, specialised transportation.

However, the automotive sector is predicted to face a more challenging period in 2025. Economic downturns, shifting production schedules, and supply chain disruptions could impact demand for automotive shipments, requiring brokers to adapt their strategies to navigate a potentially slower market.

Geopolitical factors, such as trade tensions and regulatory changes, are also shaping the strategies of charter brokers. In 2025, the potential for trade wars between global powers could disrupt certain industries. These events present new opportunities, as brokers may be called upon to provide flexible and responsive solutions for industries affected by global conflicts or regulatory shifts. The interconnectedness of the airfreight sector with geopolitical events underscores the need for brokers to stay agile and ready to adapt to new challenges.

Partnerships and collaborations with airlines, freight forwarders, and other stakeholders are increasingly critical to the success of charter brokers. Building strong, reliable networks is essential for ensuring the seamless execution of complex shipments. As the industry grows more interconnected, brokers are strengthening their relationships with key partners to enhance operational efficiency and service offerings.

Evolving patterns

The key factors driving demand for charters include fluctuating global markets, evolving economic conditions, and the need for quick and flexible shipping solutions.

s. As these demands shift, charter brokers must continuously adjust to new market landscapes and customer needs. Successful brokers are focusing on offering high levels of service and building reliable partnerships, with a strategic emphasis on adapting to the unique challenges presented by each market. “Whatever the new demand may be, we strive to maintain our strategy of offering high-level service and reliable partnerships,” Brian Davis, Commercial Director of NEO Air Charter, stated.

Within this environment, it has become increasingly crucial for charter brokers to move beyond basic transportation services. Brokers are leveraging technology to offer multiple routing permutations, allowing for quicker, more efficient responses to the complexities of modern supply chains. This shift enables them to better support clients dealing with supply chain challenges, ensuring speed and flexibility in their operations.

“It is a fundamental prerequisite to go much further than just traditional point-to-point charter services,” Ed Gillett, Founder of CharterSync explained.

Shaping the landscape

One of the key innovations in the sector is the ability to analyse countless routing permutations and transport combinations, something that would have been impossible to calculate manually. “This computational power means we can now evaluate multiple scenarios: whether it’s more efficient to use a full charter, split the shipment between scheduled and charter services, or incorporate additional services such as on-board courier services for the final leg for example,” Gillett, stated.

As more companies optimise their internal IT processes and systems, the ability to offer maximum quality and efficiency is becoming increasingly vital. The ongoing advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) further enhance these capabilities, providing brokers with powerful tools to enhance operations and offer tailored solutions to their clients. “We are committed to streamlining every stage of the charter process through our end-to-end technology,” Gillett continued.

“As a company we have migrated away from manual processes and are now synchronising our technology with an experienced, considered approach from our charter experts. Given the variables and nuances involved within the charter sector, it is fundamental to find the perfect balance between technology and experience.”

The shift towards technology-driven strategies is not just a temporary trend but an ongoing process, with charter brokers continually refining their approaches to meet the demands of an ever-changing market. “It has become more and more vital to charter brokers over the years and will continue to be with these advances. It is a continuous journey,” Davis highlighted. “We use several digital platforms and integrate them in our workflows where helpful. The charter broker world is a very unique and niche sector within the logistics sector.”

Sustainability’s growing focus

The industry is under increasing pressure to offer and deliver concrete sustainability targets and standardised reporting. While individual companies may have their own environmental initiatives, there is a growing recognition that more coordinated action is needed to drive sustainable change across the sector.

“The technology exists to make meaningful improvements – platforms can calculate environmental impacts across different routing options and transport modes, helping identify the most sustainable combinations of scheduled flights or charter flights. However, these capabilities are often underutilised, with cost and speed still dominating decision-making processes over environmental considerations,” Gillett declared.

Stronger regulatory frameworks and genuine investment in sustainable practices are essential for making lasting progress. This includes everything from promoting more efficient routing algorithms that reduce empty legs to incentivising the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). “For us as charter brokers, we have little influence on airlines and their decisions to incorporate renewable fuels, etc, into their business model. Instead, what we do as a company is contribute financially to several projects globally promoting sustainability, etc,” Davis outlined.