Same-Day Shipping vs. Next Flight Out

Choosing the Correct Service

Written By: Narek Hakobyan

Ensuring prompt delivery of essential supplies in healthcare and life sciences is crucial. In situations where urgency is critical, two logistics services stand out as the best options: Same-Day Shipping and Next Flight Out (NFO).

But how do you choose the best shipping option for urgent and time-sensitive shipments? This blog post will compare two of the most popular choices. We will also provide guidance on when to use each one, depending on your specific needs and goals.

Same-Day Shipping

Same-day shipping is a fast and reliable way to deliver your shipment within the same day of pickup, usually within a few hours. This option is ideal for urgent and time-sensitive shipments, including clinical trials, medical equipment, lab samples, diagnostic materials, and more.

Some of the benefits of same-day shipping are:

• Allows you to deliver healthcare services more quickly and efficiently, which can improve patient outcomes and satisfaction.
• Delivery convenience and flexibility, as you can ship your products on demand and avoid delays or missed deadlines.
• Guarantees delivery within the same day of pickup, which minimizes the risk of damage, loss, or theft of your valuable and sensitive shipments.
• Provides one-on-one assistance and personalized delivery, as you can rely on a dedicated and professional courier to handle your shipment with care and attention.

Some of the challenges of same-day shipping are:

• The service may involve a premium charge
• It can be costly, as you have to pay a premium for the speed and convenience of this service.
• Can be limited by availability, as not all carriers may offer this service or have the capacity to handle your shipment.
• External factors, such as weather, traffic, or customs clearance, can affect it, which may cause delays or disruptions.

Next Flight Out

Next flight out is a service that ensures your shipment reaches its destination within 24 hours by putting it on the next available passenger or cargo flight. This service is particularly useful for urgent and essential healthcare and life sciences shipments that must reach their destination by the next business day, or even the same day in cases where the distance is too far.

Some of the benefits of next flight out are:

• It offers a fast and reliable delivery, as your shipment is transported by air and bypasses the congestion and delays of ground transportation.
• It covers a wide range of destinations, as you can access the extensive network and schedule of airlines and airports worldwide.
• It accommodates a variety of shipments, as you can ship anything from documents to biological specimen, medical devices, and pharmaceuticals.
• You can safeguard your temperature-sensitive shipments during transit by replenishing dry ice.

Some of the challenges of next flight out are:

• The service may involve a premium charge, as it involves airfare and handling fees.
• You must be a known shipper authorized by the TSA to ship via passenger planes.
• It can be influenced by external factors, such as flight availability, cancellations, or diversions, that may affect your shipment's delivery time or route.
• Please note that size and weight restrictions for NFO shipments may vary depending on the airline.

When to Use Same-Day Shipping Vs Next Flight Out?

The best shipping option for your urgent and time-sensitive shipments depends on how urgent and critical they are, how far and where they need to go, how much they cost and how available they are. 

Same-day shipping is ideal for extremely urgent and critical shipments within a short distances or major cities, as it delivers them within the same day of pickup. Next flight out is ideal for urgent and important shipments across a long distance or remote locations, as it puts them on the next available flight to their destination.