Shipping from China to the USA
Sea & Air Freight Rates
Are you looking for transportation and logistics services from China to the USA?
We offer a wide variety of services tailored to your needs.
Whether it’s shipping by air freight or via ocean shipping containers, our team will endeavor to bring you the best and most affordable transport solutions from China to the USA.
This dedicated USA country guide will give you all the main details related to your shipment from China to the US: time, rates, processes, duties and taxes…
Sea Freight & Container Shipping From China To the USA
Transport by sea is one of the most popular options for shipping and this is a key means for goods coming to the United States from China.
Ocean freight will be the best deal for you if :
- Your suppliers are located near a major Chinese port
- Your goods are bigger than 2 CBM
- You’re not in a hurry to receive them
In China we can make sure your goods are exported from all major ports such as Shanghai, Qingdao, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Dalian, Tianjin, Xiamen, Macao, and Hong Kong.
We offer a variety of services from full door-to door, to door-to-port, and port-to-port.
With a door to door service, your goods will be in our hands from the factory/retailer in China all the way to your address in the USA.
Goods shipped by sea coming into China arrive at the USA’s premier ports such as New York & New Jersey, Long Beach, Los Angeles. From there, we’re able to bring your goods to cities such as New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, Philadelphia, and many others.
The Port of Los Angeles, also known as America’s Port is located around 32kms from Downtown LA. This port accounts for 20% of all cargo entering the country. The port’s largest trading partners are China and Hong Kong.
Long Beach is the second largest port in the country, just after the adjoining Port of Los Angeles. These two ports put together represent a very important gateway for cargo from all over the world arriving in the country. The main trading partners of this port are also Asia countries.
We do not only ship to California, obviously. We also ensure frequent traffic to the other largest cities of the country. Whether you need us to arrange a shipment from Shanghai to New York, from Hong Kong to Seattle, or whatever else,
Transit from China to the US via ocean container shipping takes around 20 to 30 days from port to port.
This time varies according to certain factors such as the ports of departure and arrival and season sailing schedules.
FCL and LCL shipping
You can transport your goods by both FCL and LCL shipping.
There are many factors you need to consider when shipping from China to the US.
A standard 40 foot container can accommodate 22 standard pallets, with a 20 foot container holding 10 pallets.
If you’re shipping large volumes and can fill a container, it makes sense to choose FCL (Full Container Load).
The other advantage of Full container load is that your items are kept separate from other importers.
On the other hand, LCL (Less than a Container Load) refers to shipping where your goods share space within a container with other goods.
If you’re OK with that, then LCL shipping (also known as groupage) offers a more economical way to ship smaller quantities that make up less than half of the volume of a full container.
FCL Ocean Freight Shipping Costs from China to the USA (updated May 2023)
| Departure Port | Destination Port | Container 20’ (USD) | Container 40’ (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ningbo | Los Angeles | 1120 | 1400 |
| New York | 1900 | 2500 | |
| Miami | 1900 | 2500 | |
| Shanghai | Los Angeles | 1120 | 1400 |
| New York | 2005 | 2825 | |
| Miami | 2440 | 3100 | |
| Shenzhen | Los Angeles | 1300 | 1580 |
| New York | 2000 | 2500 | |
| Miami | 2000 | 2440 |
Considerations for FCL Freight Shipping
FCL shipping means renting an entire container for your shipment.
If you have a large enough cargo to occupy a container, or even most of a container, FCL shipping may make the most economical sense.
It’s also quicker than LCL shipping as there is no need to consolidate or deconsolidate your items from others.
Your container will also remain sealed throughout the journey and unless customs officials select it for inspection will be sealed until it arrives at your address or chosen destination.
LCL Consolidation Sea Freight Shipping Costs from China to the USA (updated May 2023)
| Departure Port | Destination Port | USD/CBM (1-3 CBM) | USD/CBM (3-9 CBM) | Estimated Transit time (days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ningbo | Los Angeles | 30 | 40 | 20 |
| New York | 55 | 75 | 40 | |
| Miami | 70 | 95 | 45 | |
| Shanghai | Los Angeles | 30 | 40 | 20 |
| New York | 55 | 75 | 40 | |
| Miami | 70 | 95 | 45 | |
| Shenzhen | Los Angeles | 28 | 38 | 14 |
| New York | 33 | 43 | 30 | |
| Miami | 42 | 48 | 39 |
Considerations for LCL Freight Shipping
LCL shipping means your goods will share space with goods from other companies.
This also means that your delivery might take a little bit longer, because of both the packing and unpacking process.
Before departure, your goods will be stored in a consolidation warehouse in China until departure, and then on arrival be held in a de-consolidation warehouse in the US before they are delivered to your address.
Air Freight From China To the USA
We have developed a vast network of carriers that specialize in air cargo transportation, offering daily and weekly departures from China’s main airports to any air destination in the globe.
Air freight will be the most efficient solution if :
- Your goods are smaller than 2 CBM and 200 kg
- You’re in a hurry to receive/send the goods
air freight service from China to the USA provides safe and reliable solutions for all your air transportation needs including time sensitive and high value commodities.
Our shipping freight by air services include airport-to-airport, door-to-door, airport-to-door and door-to-airport services, among others.
With our service, we’ll take care of each step of the journey, making sure that your goods arrive at your destination when you need them.
The normal transit time for air freight from China to the USA is around 3 to 7 days.
This can vary owing to seasonal demands and traffic in the freight market at certain times of year. Our years of experience can bring expert knowledge to your logistical needs in this respect.
The charter service offers you peace of mind and bespoke services as well as a long list of goods that are possible to ship. We can arrange this service for you and ship goods such as:
- Consumer goods
- High-value goods
- Sensitive cargo such as hazardous, fresh, or perishable goods
- Time-critical freight
- Medical supply & humanitarian relief aid
- Heavy load & oversized equipment
- Car, Aircraft and ships spare parts
When it comes to weight, we offer options from 10,000lb (5000kgs) to 45,000lb (22,000 kgs) which can be transported in crates or boxes, on pallets, or as bulk.
Our part charter and full charter options range from 10.000 lbs (5.000 kgs) to 45.000 lbs (22.000 kgs), loadable in pallets, skids, crates or simply bulk.
Air freight Shipping Costs from China to the USA (updated May 2023)
| Departure City | Range | Destination Airport | Price Per KG ($USD) | Estimated Transit time (days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shanghai | Rate for 100KGS-299KGS | Los Angeles (LAX) | 3.5 | 1 |
| New York (JFK) | 3.5 | 1 | ||
| Miami (MIA) | 4.7 | 5-6 | ||
| Chicago (ORD) | 3.8 | 1 | ||
| Rate for 300KGS-1000KGS | Los Angeles (LAX) | 3.5 | 1 | |
| New York (JFK) | 3.5 | 1 | ||
| Miami (MIA) | 4.7 | 5-6 | ||
| Chicago (ORD) | 3.8 | 1 | ||
| Rate for 1000KGS+ | Los Angeles (LAX) | 3.0 | 1 | |
| New York (JFK) | 3.5 | 1 | ||
| Miami (MIA) | 4.7 | 5-6 | ||
| Chicago (ORD) | 3.5 | 1 | ||
| Shenzhen | Rate for 100KGS-299KGS | Los Angeles (LAX) | 3.0 | 1 |
| New York (JFK) | 5.0 | 4-5 | ||
| Miami (MIA) | 5.7 | 4-5 | ||
| Chicago (ORD) | 5.0 | 4-5 | ||
| Rate for 300KGS-1000KGS | Los Angeles (LAX) | 3.0 | 1 | |
| New York (JFK) | 4.4 | 4-5 | ||
| Miami (MIA) | 5.2 | 4-5 | ||
| Chicago (ORD) | 4.4 | 4-5 | ||
| Rate for 1000KGS+ | Los Angeles (LAX) | 2.8 | 1 | |
| New York (JFK) | 4.3 | 4-5 | ||
| Miami (MIA) | 5.0 | 4-5 | ||
| Chicago (ORD) | 4.3 | 4-5 |
Door to Door shipping – Importation from China to the USA
When it comes to DDP shipping, there are 2 main options for you: DDP air shipping and DDP sea shipping.
With your authorization, we can pick up the goods from your factory to transport them to the sea port or airport.
Otherwise, the goods you wish to ship need to be sent to our warehouses in Shenzhen, Guangzhou…
Door-to-door quotes include the above, as well as:
- Customs clearance fees. If customs require a further inspection of your cargo, additional fees may be charged.
- Trucking fees
- Cargo insurance (this is a must have. Don’t ship your products without getting them covered!)
DDP air freight
- First Leg: Air freight
- Shipping Type: LCL Shipping
- Shipping Time: 10-15 days
- Export Declaration: Your factory is not the exporter to declare.
- Destination: We can send to your business or private address, as well as Amazon FBA warehouses.
DDP sea shipping
- First Leg: Sea
- Shipping Type: LCL Shipping, check for FCL availability.
- Shipping Time: 30-35 days
- Export Declaration: Your factory is not be the exporter to declare
- Destination: We can send to your business or private address, as well as Amazon FBA warehouses.
How long is shipping from China to the USA right now?
Ocean Sea, Air & Express transit times (December 2022)
| Port to Port (days) | Door to Door (days) | |
|---|---|---|
| Sea Freight FCL | 15-40 | 16-23 |
| Sea Freight LCL | 15-40 | 16-23 |
| Air freight | 1-6 | 7-14 |
| Express | / | 3-7 |
*Express freight is always door to door
What is the cheapest way of shipping from China to the USA?
The most affordable option to ship from China to the US, regardless of the shipping method you choose, is through a reputed China Freight Forwarder like SINO Shipping who can guarantee you the lowest freight costs and container freight rates from China.
Do I have to pay customs duties for a package sent from China to the USA?
Any merchandise you bring into the US from China will be subject to customs duty (also known as import tax), while merchandise from other nations may be excluded due to various international trade agreements. Customs regulations are enforced by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in the United States.
Navigating the waters of customs documentation as well as arranging for your goods to be transported in the most cost and time-efficient way can be a daunting task for importers.
That’s why it makes financial sense to utilize the services of a freight forwarder, who will not only take care of the details but also bring their wealth of knowledge and contacts to negotiate the best deals for your transportation needs.
If you’re transporting goods from China to the US, then choosing the right freight forwarder can make a huge difference to the success of your business.
You’ll save not only money but time as well, which can be just as important to businesses.
We make it our business to be familiar with the ins and outs and the fine print of importing laws and regulations.
Of course, each country has different regulations and expected standards when it comes to importing.
By using a freight forwarding service, you save yourself the hassle of having to learn all the different contexts and required documentation.
That’s our job, and we’ll be able to make sure your goods’ journey is as smooth as possible while you can devote your time to better serving your bottom line elsewhere.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the shipping cost from China to the USA?
LCL: 70 USD /cbm FCL: 1300 USD /20’: 1500 /40’ Express shipping door to door (10kg): 450 USD
How long does it take to ship from China to the USA?
Average transit time by sea: 30 days Average transit time by airfreight: 8 days (daily direct flight) Express shipping door to door (10kg): 3 days.
What are the best freight options to send good from China to the USA?
There are only 2 options, by sea or by air, it depends on how big the volume and the weight are, and then you will decide which shipping methods is more adequate. You must calculate the ration time/cost.
How much tax will I pay for importing goods from China to the USA?
When entering the US territory, the goods are not officially considered as entered as long as they haven’t been permitted by CBP (Customs & Border Protection), and duties haven’t been paid. The products have to be declared within 15 days prior to arrival within the country of before leaving the bonded warehouse. As an importer, you’ll have to declare the transaction value of your products, as well as the country of origin (and other documents: please see below). CBP will then be able to calculate duties.
Do customs open every package?
No, they don’t immediately open your package without any reason. … They will only instantly check what’s inside of your package if: Your package has been damaged when it reached the Customs office or desk. The damages can include broken seals or plastic or any cover of your package.
How do I avoid custom charges?
When you make a shipping request, you’ll have to declare the value of your shipment. The value you enter on your request form is the value that will be declared at customs, so it is important that you declare accurately. If you declare too high a value, you may be assessed more taxes than you want to pay! If you declare too low a value, your declared value may be considered unreasonable and adjusted upward.
How can I reduce my shipping costs?
-Negotiate with multiple carriers -Get suppliers to use your shipping account number -Use packaging provided by your carrier -Consider a regional carrier -Use online shipping -Invest in prepaid shipping -Buy insurance from a third party -Factor in all shipping fees before billing customers -Consider hybrid services -Ask about association discounts