There are three main channels from China to the US: sea freight (25–45 days, cheapest), air freight (8–15 days, mid-range) and international express (3–7 days, priciest). Match your cargo to urgency, cargo type and budget.
Sea freight: budget first
US West 25–35 days, US East 35–45 days; fast vessels cut it to 18–25 days. Billed by cubic meter or weight — the cheapest way to move furniture, gym equipment or restock bulk. Best when cargo is over 12 kg per box or over 1 m³ in total and not urgent.
Air freight: the middle ground
8–15 days door to door at roughly 3–5× sea cost. Ideal for 10–30 kg shipments that need to move but don’t justify express rates — seasonal clothing, small appliance restocks. Batteries, magnets and liquids need channel approval first.
International express: fastest, priciest
DHL / UPS / FedEx deliver in 3–7 days with the best tracking granularity. Great for documents, samples and urgent small items. Over 21 kg, express heavy-weight rates sometimes beat air freight.
Peak season factors
From September to December, port congestion and tight space add 5–15 days to sea freight and can push air rates up. Book two weeks earlier than you think you need to.
Quick decision guide
Urgent and high value → express; heavy or bulky and flexible on time → sea; everything in between → air. Send cargo details and target date to support for a same-day rate comparison.
Still have questions?
Send us your cargo details (description, weight, volume, destination city) and our team will work out the best channel and rate.
