The sea route between China and the United States is one of the busiest sea routes, if not the busiest. Millions of tons of goods are transported on this sea route annually.
Trading companies will do better business if they know the necessary tips and appropriate methods for each shipping route. Trading companies will do better business if they know the necessary tips and appropriate transportation methods for each shipment on this route.
Whether you run a small business or a large company, managing international shipping can be challenging. In this guide we are going to cover all you need to know about shipping from China to the USA, including the differences between air and sea freight, estimated shipping times, and an overview of shipping costs.
All the Shipping Methods in a Nutshell
Express
Need it there yesterday? Express services offer door-to-door delivery with expedited handling—perfect for small packages and time-sensitive documents.
Air Freight
Swift and reliable delivery for your urgent shipments. It minimizes transit times and maximizes your supply chain speed with efficient handling.
Ocean Freight
Cost-effective solutions for large shipments. Whether FCL or LCL, this method ensures smooth and reliable delivery of your goods across the oceans.
Overview of Essential Shipping Documents and Their Functions
The importance of shipment documents
Shipping documentation is used by the exporting and importing customs authorities and the carrier(s). It includes:
- Product information
- Contract of carriage
- Export declarations/licenses
- Import declarations/licenses
Shipping documents for product information
These documents inform all parties about the shipment, sales terms, and any special requirements. Key documents:
- Commercial invoice
- Packing list
- Certificate of origin
- Inspection certificate
Additional shipping documentation
Certain items (e.g., hazardous goods) may require extra documents like a dangerous goods form or material safety data sheets.
Contract of Carriage
A contract between shipper and carrier outlining carriage terms.
- Ocean freight uses a Bill of Lading
- Air freight uses an Air Waybill
Export declarations and licenses
Export licenses may be required depending on the product, transaction, and destination. These control what can be exported and how much.
Import declarations and licenses
Import licenses may be required, controlled similarly to exports, and may involve several government departments.
Types of Contracts of Carriage
- Bill of Lading (BOL):
- Original: Hard copy, held by shipper until payment
- Express: No originals issued, for faster shipment
- House (HBL): Issued by freight forwarder as receipt
- Air Waybill (AWB):
- Not negotiable or transferable, allows tracking
- House (HAWB): Issued by freight forwarder
- Master (MAWB): Issued by airline to forwarder
Air Freight from China to the USA
China air freight is a fast and reliable way to ship cargo from China to the USA. It’s the ideal method when you need your goods in 20 days or less, or your shipping volume is between 150 and 500 kilograms.
Important Considerations for Air Freight
It’s important to remember that unless your air freight quote is “door to door”, it will involve a bit more work and there will be added costs, including:
- Arranging the loading and transport of your goods from your supplier to your destination airport in China
- Preparing all necessary documents to clear both Chinese and US Customs
- Payment of any duties, taxes, and warehousing costs upon the arrival of your goods to the United States
- And the transport of your goods from the arrival airport in the US to their final destination, as well as their unloading
How Much Does Air Freight Cost from China to the US?
Air freight costs are currently highly volatile due to the impact of coronavirus on international shipping, and vary depending upon the season, holidays, speed, and load. A sample of current estimated rates as of 2025 includes:
| Weight | ↓LOW↓ | ↑HIGH↑ |
| 45kg | $4.48 | $8.43 |
| 100kg | $2.68 | $7.00 |
| 200kg | $2.68 | $7.00 |
| 300kg | $2.52 | $6.72 |
How Long Does Air Freight Take from China to the USA?
Air freight traveling from China to the United States takes a little longer than Express Shipping…anywhere from 2 to 15 days.
Transit Time
Under normal circumstances…
- Shipment to West Coast airports take 1 to 4 days
- Shipments to East Coast airports take 1 to 5 days
When to Use Air Freight from China?
- Need it fast (2–20 days)
- Mid-weight (150kg–500kg)
- Valuable/fragile (Electronics, jewelry, medical gear)
- Perishable (Food, meds, chemicals)
- Emergency (PPE, urgent repairs)
Recommended Airlines:
- China Southern
- Air China Cargo
- Asiana Airlines
Express Shipping Options from China to the US
China Express Shipping involves using a major international courier, like UPS, DHL, or FEDEX who handles all:
- Shipping arrangements
- Logistics
- Documentation
- and Customs Clearance
Unlike sea and air freight, express shipping is always both “all-included” and “door-to-door”.
This simply means that when you book express shipping, the fee quoted includes all logistics, transport, preparation of documents, and customs clearance. It also means the goods will be shipped from your supplier all the way through to the final destination you designate. This is not always true of sea and air freight, making express shipping incredibly convenient.
That being said, the convenience of express shipping does come at an added cost, which will cover in more detail below.
Delivery Timeframes for Express Shipping
In general, express shipping from China to the US can take between 1–5 days, depending upon the courier, selected shipping speed, and even the types of products being sent.
Courier Choices for China-to-US Express Shipping
Now let’s look in a bit more detail at the various options when choosing to ship your goods via China Express to the USA.
FedEx Shipping Options and Timelines
FedEx offers two primary services when shipping internationally: the priority service focuses on speed, and the economy service focuses on savings.
With International Priority (IP), FedEx can ship products from China to the US in 1–3 business days. If shipping over a weekend, days may not be counted, as FedEx only ships on Saturdays in some US regions. IP is FedEx’s highest-priced service.
For a lower-cost option, FedEx offers International Economy (IE). Cargo can arrive in as little as three days but sometimes takes up to 10 days since it is not prioritized.
Note: FedEx does not ship lithium-ion batteries, so cargo containing batteries must use other services such as DHL or UPS.
UPS Expedited Services for Express Delivery
UPS offers an international courier service called UPS Worldwide Expedited, which can ship from China to 220 countries worldwide.
This service takes approximately 2–5 business days and includes door-to-door service.
UPS handles all customs clearance and tends to fulfill larger cargo shipments more effectively than FedEx and DHL.
DHL Express Services Explained
DHL offers three main express services from China to the US:
- DHL Express Worldwide – The standard express option. Commonly quoted by forwarders. Typically delivers in about 2 days, but may vary between 2–4 days.
- DHL Express 12:00 – Targets delivery before noon on the next business day, if possible.
- DHL Express 10:30 – For urgent shipments; delivery by 10:30 AM the next day. Shipments are prioritized early in DHL’s China warehouses.
2025 Express Shipping Rates from China to the US
| Weight Range | Low Estimate | High Estimate |
| Less than 10 kg | $8.10 | $28.95 |
| Less than 100 kg | $6.05 | $9.05 |
| Less than 200 kg | $5.60 | $8.60 |
| 300–500 kg | $5.40 | $8.40 |
Recommended Express Couriers in China
With over 20 reliable courier companies serving customers wishing to ship goods quickly from China to the US, the best carrier is the one that meets the timeline and budget while ensuring safe delivery.
The recommended carriers include:
- DHL – Found to be the fastest and ideal for documents and small parcels. Often assumed to be the most expensive, but pricing is competitive and service consistent.
- UPS – Ideal for larger air express cargo. Offers the best pricing for high-volume shipments and provides seamless service.
- FedEx – Once a strong option for China shipments, but now generally the most expensive. Occasionally offers promotional rates, but those are inconsistent. Usually, a third choice unless special discounts apply.
Sea Freight from China to the USA
China sea freight is the movement of cargo from China to the US via container ship.
When opting to ship to the US via this method, the buyer has some flexibility to customize their shipment to meet unique needs. The primary consideration is the container load size, and whether the shipment is “Less Than Container Load” (LCL) or “Full Container Load” (FCL).
What is LCL Shipping?
When cargo shipped by sea is not enough to fill an entire container, buyers often opt to share container space with other shippers. This is called “less than container load,” or LCL for short.
Generally, LCL is a good option when sending loads greater than 1 cubic meter and smaller than 15 cubic meters.
LCL Shipping Process
A freight forwarder typically assists by collecting cargo and transporting it to a local warehouse. At the warehouse, the cargo is consolidated with other buyers’ cargo to fill a container.
Once all cargo arrives at the warehouse, it is loaded into the container. The logistics company then trucks the shipment to the port and begins the freighting process.
Benefits and Drawbacks of LCL
LCL allows smaller shipments that otherwise couldn’t be shipped via sea to take advantage of low-cost sea freight options. However, LCL generally costs more per cubic meter than FCL.
What is FCL Shipping?
A “full container load” shipment uses an entire container without sharing space with other shippers.
FCL does not require that a container be filled to capacity; it means the container space is exclusively used by one buyer.
When to Choose FCL
If the cargo volume is around 15 cubic meters or more, FCL can be considered. The cost can then be compared to LCL shipments.
Flexibility of FCL Shipments
Because FCL contains a single consignee’s cargo, there is greater flexibility in how products are loaded into the container.
In most cases, the container is trucked to the supplier’s warehouse and loaded onsite.
Consolidation Options for FCL
Buyers can consolidate multiple products by having them shipped to a centralized warehouse for loading or request that a single supplier collect all cargo and load the container.
Delivery and Deconsolidation Options
FCL shipments can be delivered directly to the buyer’s warehouse in the United States or to a warehouse for deconsolidation before final delivery.
Services that Can Be Provided by Freight Forwarders
Experienced forwarding companies can provide the following services:
- Pass along high-volume shipping rates
- Organize cargo collection and communicate directly with suppliers
- Identify missing documentation or compliance requirements for import and export
- Customize shipping processes to meet shipment needs
- Manage customs brokerage processes
- Provide reliable and professional service
Container Options for Sea Freight from China to the US
Various container size options exist when shipping goods from China to the USA by sea. A standard ISO container is typically:
- 8 feet wide
- 8.5 feet high
- Comes in either 20 or 40-foot lengths
Additionally, there are “High Cube containers” which are typically 9.5 feet high.
Specs of Shipping Containers
| Type | Gross (kg) | Net (kg) | Volume (m³) |
| 20ft | 24,000 | 21,630 | 33.20 |
| 40ft | 30,480 | 26,480 | 67.74 |
| 40ft HQ | 30,480 | 26,500 | 76.30 |
| 45ft HQ | 30,480 | 25,680 | 86.00 |
Sea Freight Transit Times to the US
| Origin | West Coast | East Coast |
| Shanghai | 15–25 days | 30–40 days |
| Ningbo | 15–25 days | 30–40 days |
| Shenzhen | 15–25 days | 30–40 days |
FCL Shipping Rates (Port-to-Port, 2025)
40ft Container Average Cost (USD):
🔹 To Los Angeles / Long Beach
| Origin | Low | High |
| Shanghai | $1,300 | $1,600 |
| Ningbo | $1,300 | $1,600 |
| Shenzhen | $1,200 | $1,550 |
🔹 To Houston
| Origin | Low | High |
| Shanghai | $1,950 | $2,750 |
| Ningbo | $1,950 | $2,750 |
| Shenzhen | $2,150 | $3,100 |
🔹 To Newark / Savannah
| Origin | Low | High |
| Shanghai | $1,750 | $2,500 |
| Ningbo | $1,750 | $2,500 |
| Shenzhen | $1,750 | $2,500 |
🔹 To Chicago
| Origin | Low | High |
| Shanghai | $3,000 | $3,900 |
| Ningbo | $3,000 | $3,900 |
| Shenzhen | $3,000 | $3,900 |
LCL Shipping Rates (per CBM or Ton, Port-to-Port, 2025)
🔹 To Los Angeles / Long Beach
| Origin | Low | High |
| Shanghai | $17 | $33 |
| Ningbo | $17 | $33 |
| Shenzhen | $6 | $22 |
🔹 To Houston
| Origin | Low | High |
| Shanghai | $38 | $67 |
| Ningbo | $38 | $67 |
| Shenzhen | $38 | $67 |
🔹 To Newark / Chicago
| Origin | Low | High |
| Shanghai | $22 | $45 |
| Ningbo | $22 | $45 |
| Shenzhen | $22 | $45 |
Wrap-Up
When you’re shipping goods from China to the United States, knowing the advantages and drawbacks of each shipping method (express, airfreight or sea freight) along with their costs and transit times, helps you plan smarter, make better decisions, save money and time, and avoid unexpected delays.
