[1] Emery was a pioneer in the early air freight industry, initially renting space on existing carrier routes before developing a fleet of dedicated aircraft.

[1][5] Emery was the first air freight forwarder to apply for a license from the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) as a common carrier, despite opposition from scheduled airlines.

[9][10] By 1983, Emery operated a fleet of 64 aircraft and was noted for offering the broadest range of services in the air freight industry, being the largest international forwarder of documents and packages.

Arthur C. Bass, appointed to lead Emery, lasted less than six months, and was succeeded by W. Roger Curry, who managed to restore profitability by 1995.

[15] Emery Worldwide Airlines faced safety violations, leading to the grounding of its planes on August 13, 2001, following an FAA investigation and the crash of Flight 17 on February 16, 2000.