Lurking in the corners of the Internet where IT managers hang out, we came across one interesting assumption: “It's easier & cheaper to put a person on a round-trip flight than it is to ship a laptop.”
It got us thinking in a true “what came first: the chicken or the egg” way. Is it really cheaper? Would it be the same if you flew in someone from Pakistan versus someone from Colombia? It might be more affordable, but is it sustainable?
We've been thinking about how to debunk this assumption. Disclaimer: We don’t think it’s wrong; it just might lack perspective.
Imagine your team is hiring someone from Bogota, and you need to send their laptop so they can start working ASAP. The mere thought of setting foot in your closest courier’s office sends chills down your spine. Last time, you spent half a day trying to send that laptop, and you still had to get home to process three urgent tickets.
You then hear from HR that the employee will visit the main office in San Diego that same week. Phew, lucky you. You just saved yourself from the horrors of waiting for the parcel you sent to arrive unscathed.
While you were relieved that the employee was coming to the office, it got you thinking: Was this actually cheaper than sending the laptop to them?
According to Google Flights, the cheapest flight from Bogota to San Diego retails for around $584.
Supposing you’re giving your new joiner a 13” MacBook Air, you spent around $1,300 on their laptop. Shipping an item with the weight and dimensions of a 13” MacBook Air would cost you almost $250, according to DHL’s online quote generator. This price, however, does not include VAT. The standard VAT rate for Colombia is 19%, so that could come at around $250.
So, if you ship a laptop from San Diego to Bogota using DHL, you will spend around $500. For $84 more, you can bring the new hire to your office and deliver the laptop directly to their hands.
Seems tempting. But not all cases are the same. Now, let’s imagine your employee lives in Islamabad, Pakistan.
The cheapest flight from Islamabad to San Diego costs $1,900 on Google Flights.
You also get this employee a 13” MacBook Air, on which you spent $1,300. Shipping costs, according to DHL, total $173.72. This price does not include VAT, usually levied at 18% for Pakistan. That amounts to around $234.
In this case, you would spend $407.72 on shipping. You save almost $1,500 on plane tickets, though!
Note: Flight prices and shipping costs are updated for February 13th, 2025.
We recently had a conversation with our VP of Global Logistics Operations, Jason Winnie, and he broke down the complexity of logistics for us. You can get all his insights in this interview.
Overall, the biggest challenge with international logistics is around each country's regulations. That reflects on different customs duties, taxes, and extra fees you need to pay. There are a bunch of other factors that impact logistics, from invoicing requirements to language barriers to handling hazardous materials.
That’s on the macro level. If you consider a single parcel, there are other considerations:
1. Weight and dimensional costsShipping carriers like FedEx, UPS, and DHL charge based on weight and dimensions. While a laptop isn’t heavy, its packaging—which includes padding for protection—increases its dimensional weight, leading to higher costs.
2. Insurance and liabilityLaptops are high-value items that require extra insurance coverage to protect against loss or damage. The insurance for a MacBook can add $65–150 to the shipping bill.
3. Customs and dutiesAs we already mentioned, shipping laptops internationally involves dealing with the following:
The global logistics industry faces:
You’ll pay significantly more for overnight or express shipping if you need it fast. In contrast, a same-day flight for one person might still cost less.
These numbers are just an example, and they might change for every scenario and each particular case. But you would follow similar steps if your boss asked you for a rough estimate on shipping costs compared to plane costs.
However, this won't be the smartest approach if you hire across the globe, in multiple countries and regions, and you never really know where your next hire will be. Unpredictability can lead to higher flight costs.
Besides, when you go that route, it’s unlikely to see the device back in your hands when that employee leaves. We have an entire eBook that breaks down how much you could be losing by not retrieving company equipment during offboarding.
So, is it really cheaper to fly someone with a laptop than to ship it? In many cases, yes—especially when time sensitivity, international shipping, and high-value items come into play.
However, the solution to this problem isn’t necessarily to start booking more flights. Instead, IT teams can explore alternative strategies to optimize logistics:
Services like GroWrk streamline device procurement through fast and reliable equipment delivery in more than 150 countries. You can easily select devices and set them up for employees with a few clicks.
GroWrk’s global vendor network allows us to use local providers in each region, giving you access to bulk shipments and better pricing.
Having clear SLAs for each device before purchasing helps improve onboarding by avoiding delays. GroWrk delivers in less than 7 days in major markets and has an on-time delivery rate of over 99%.
It’s eye-opening to realize that, in some cases, buying a flight for someone can be cheaper and faster than shipping a laptop. While you don’t necessarily need to fly all your employees to your headquarters, it’s an interesting discussion.
Current in-house or DIY logistics systems are plagued with inefficiencies and sometimes require a level of expertise that your IT team might lack. This comparison opens the conversation about the growing need within companies for IT management solutions that can take that burden off their shoulders.
If you're looking for a partner who can deliver equipment to your team across the globe, check out GroWrk. Book a demo today to learn how we simplify global logistics in just a few clicks.