American Airlines Cargo Upgrades Pharma Service and Cold-Chain Capabilities

(JOHN F. Kennedy International Airport) American Airlines Cargo has widened its push into high-control pharmaceutical logistics, adding new IATA CEIV Pharma certifications at two key stations and rolling out deeper temperature control, live tracking, and greener packaging for life sciences shipments.

In 2025, the carrier confirmed that John F. Kennedy International Airport and Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport joined its CEIV network. This ties New York’s main international gateway to a broader chain of approved cold-chain hubs. The airline now operates from more than 30 CEIV- or GDP-certified locations worldwide, reaching over 180 markets with dedicated cold-chain solutions and a clear focus on safety, compliance, and lower emissions.

What CEIV Pharma Certification Means

The newest certifications require strict training, audited handling steps, and upgraded cooling equipment across certified stations.

• CEIV Pharma (IATA’s Center of Excellence for Independent Validators in Pharmaceutical Logistics) sets a global bar for moving high-value, temperature-sensitive medicines.
• The program checks:
  • Staff training and competence
  • Facility readiness and cold-room capacity
  • Chain-of-custody controls and quality systems
  • Routine inspections to maintain standards

American’s leaders say the investment is aimed at producing steady handling results and fewer temperature upsets, protecting both products and the patients who rely on them.

Enhanced Product and Tracking: ExpediteTC

American rebuilt its temperature-controlled product, ExpediteTC, to add live tracking and monitoring from tender to delivery.

• Real-time telemetry gives shippers and forwarders instant alerts when readings approach or exceed limits.
• Teams can intervene before a product warms or cools beyond its label range.
• This is especially valuable for vaccines, cell and gene therapies, and biologics with narrow temperature windows.

According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, live telemetry inside airline-managed pharma products reflects a wider industry shift: customers now expect a single view of location, temperature, and handoff events without stitching together multiple systems.

Container Capability and Options

Container choice is central to American’s 2025 strategy. The airline has master lease agreements covering both active and advanced passive units:

• Active units (built-in power and climate systems)
  • Envirotainer Releye RLP/RAP
  • CSafe RKN/RAP/APS
• Advanced passive solutions
  • Sonoco ThermoSafe Pegasus ULD — notable as the world’s first FAA- and EASA-approved advanced passive bulk temperature-controlled ULD built specifically for pharmaceutical use

Benefits of varied container types:
– Match package choices to route risk, transit time, and cost
– Avoid one-size-fits-all approaches
– Active units best for long-haul, multi-stop itineraries
– Advanced passive units reduce weight and handling steps while maintaining temperature for extended periods

Operational Impact at Key Hubs

The timing of the JFK certification matters for U.S.-outbound drug makers and importers staging inventory around New York.

• With CEIV Pharma at JFK, Dallas/Fort Worth, Philadelphia, and Miami, planners can map routes that keep products inside certified space from origin to airline handoff.
• This reduces lane-change risks such as seasonal heat waves, ramp waits, or power outages.
• Smaller biotech firms benefit, since they often cannot afford wide temperature buffers but require strict control during international moves.

At San Juan (SJU), CEIV status supports regional drug makers and medical suppliers serving the Caribbean and mainland U.S., improving links for high-value shipments.

Technology, Data Standards, and ONE Record

American is preparing for industry data advances:

• Live device data in ExpediteTC allows near-real-time views of temperature and location, with set rules for automatic alerts and prescribed interventions (call ground team, move to cooler, swap container).
• Industry groups target January 2026 for the first wave of ONE Record, a shared data lane for air cargo that replaces many paper and legacy files.

Expected benefits of ONE Record:
– A single source of truth for device data, station events, and customs steps
– Faster release and cleaner audit trails
– Reduced manual work at stations and fewer hand-keyed entries

Sustainability Initiatives

American aligns cold-chain improvements with sustainability goals:

• Shift to biodegradable BioNatur plastics for cargo wrap and covers began in 2022.
  • In 2023, this cut long-term plastic waste by more than 150,000 lbs (equivalent to 8.6 million water bottles).
• Emissions targets:
  • Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 45% by 2035
  • Cut Scope 2 emissions by 40% by 2035
  • Reach net-zero GHG by 2050

Ground-side steps that reduce waste and emissions:
– Better cold rooms reduce dry ice use
– Smarter routing cuts miles and dwell time
– Container choices that reduce swaps and waste

The CDC’s guidance complements these actions; readers can review the CDC Vaccine Storage and Handling Toolkit here: CDC Vaccine Storage and Handling Toolkit.

Training, Procedures, and Human Factors

CEIV’s core rule emphasizes that people make the difference.

• Cold-chain success depends on how crates are received, how quickly they’re moved, and whether ramp crews and warehouse teams follow checklists and drills.
• Regular training, clear procedures, and fast communication lines reduce human errors.
• Live tracking adds a proactive layer by highlighting trends before excursions occur.

Practical Booking and Best Practices for Shippers

Customers can book through the ExpediteTC platform and select stations and containers that match their lane plan. For smaller shippers new to air cold-chain, recommended best practices:

1. Confirm CEIV Pharma or GDP status at origin, transfer, and destination.
2. Match container type to lane risk and transit time.
3. Set live alerts in ExpediteTC with margins that allow timely action.
4. Share label ranges, handling notes, and time limits with the airline’s pharma team.
5. Plan for weather and peak traffic; use certified alternates when needed.

For details on station lists, product specs, and booking, visit aacargo.com.

Cost, Routing, and Risk Management

Forwarders and contract managers will weigh costs versus protection:

• Active units and premium handling add expense, but lost loads cost far more.
• Smart routing pairs premium control on risky legs with passive options on stable segments.
• Use JFK’s CEIV status when New York is the fastest gateway; use other certified hubs (DFW, PHL, MIA) to cut dwell time or avoid disruptions.

Public Health and Emergency Response

A wider certified footprint supports public agencies and hospitals:

• During health crises, fast, controlled airlift is vital for vaccines and treatments.
• Chains of approved stations with trained staff can shave hours off handoffs and reduce waste, improving emergency response capability.

Summary and Forward Look

As of September 5, 2025, American Airlines Cargo is leaning into compliance, greener moves, and technology that gives customers more control. The carrier’s pharma upgrades aim for:

• Safer, more reliable handling
• Cleaner supply chains with reduced waste
• More transparent data and proof of control for audits and buyers

Industry observers, including analysts cited by VisaVerge.com, see this mix of certification, technology, and sustainability as aligned with wider trends: tighter regulation, buyer demand for proof, and environmental expectations.

The proof will come in daily operations, but with more CEIV Pharma stations, an expanded container portfolio, and live monitoring tied to intervention steps, American’s 2025 setup gives shippers and patients a better chance of on-time, safe delivery.

For certified station lists, booking steps, and pharma support contacts, visit aacargo.com or connect with American’s pharma logistics teams at major hubs.