Shipping from China to the USA can be done in a variety of ways, but the actual challenge is to choose the most appropriate one according to the budget. So if you are about to deliver cargo from China to the USA and want a pre-planning for your finances to avoid any disappointment, then no worries, because this guide is going to explore all the possible freight modes with their costs, factors affecting their costs and many more. So, keep learning and stay updated!

To deliver your cargo from China to the USA ( 11,640km apart ), various freight modes are available, you can choose any of them according to your requirements and conditions. Every method has its specifications, facilities, delivery timing, overall costs, etc, so let’s discuss all possible freight methods you can choose to ship your parcel  (from China to the USA) one by one.

i) Sea Freight from China to the USA

ii) Air Freight from China to the USA

iii) Express Freight from China to the USA

Yes, we agree that sea freight is the slowest one but due to its manageable cost, it is in high use and you will be surprised to know that sea freight adds up to 90% of global shipping volume, therefore it is considered best freight mode for business shipping who want to make a healthy profit margin with minimum expenditures.

Generally speaking, if you have massive cargo like grains, chemical cans, jumbo bags, etc.,  then ocean freight will be appropriate because here you will be given multiple options like container shipping, break-bulk shipping ( to direct load cargo on the ship’s ground ), or if you are delivering some heavy vehicles then roll-on roll-off shipping services are also available for you.

Obviously, you will not be carrying a huge cargo with you all the time, so for that purpose, different container options like LCL and FCL are also accessible, let’s unfold these terms one by one:

a) Less than Container Load (LCL): In LCL, you have to share your container with other shippers, so if you are carrying a small parcel ( from 1 cubic meter to less than 15 cubic meters), then you can choose this option because it’s pointless to pay for a whole container when your items can be fill up in less than a full container.

b) Full Container Load (FCL): In this option, you will be given a whole container, now it’s up to you to fill it half or full, or leave it empty. Moreover, if you have some sensitive items for shipping like some glassware, cosmetic products or medical instruments then it is preferred that you save your parcel in a private FCL container.

In case of any emergency, air freight comes to mind first, because it is the second fastest and most secure freight ever, so if you have to submit some of your important documents on time or you have a parcel that can deteriorate with delayed timing, then you can choose air freight from China to the USA without thinking twice.

One more thing to discuss here is that the location of different airports in China doesn’t make any noticeable difference in delivery timing to the USA, so you can ship your parcel from any nearest port. Some well-known airports in China for direct freight from China to the USA include:

• Shanghai Pudong International Airport
• Beijing Capital International Airport
• Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, etc.

“The mode of freight in which courier shipping companies (DHL, FedEx, UPS, TNT, etc.) deliver your parcel from China to the target door in the USA is known as Express Freight.”

Express freight is the number one fastest freight ever, it can deliver your parcel within 2-5 days from China to the USA by making use of their modern technological systems, therefore it is the best option for urgent deliveries like sample products, documents, decomposable food items, etc.

In the Express Freight system, you hand over your parcel to the nearest courier centre or if you want to avail of door-to-door service, then their workers will pick up the parcel from your door by themselves and deliver it to your target door in the USA swiftly and safely.

To provide you with all these freight services at affordable prices and minimum delivery timeframe, Winsky freight is always available for you; along with this, there are many other highlighting shipping capabilities of Winsky freight such as:

• Competitive price
• Free warehousing for 30 days
• Expert Import customs team
• Secured shipping and many more

Business owners necessarily need the idea of how much they are going to invest in every step of their business journey, that’s why basic know-how about shipping costs is also crucial for making a handsome profit because the costs of different modes of freight can make a hell of a difference in your budget.

i) Shipping mode cost: Different shipping modes, cost differently, such as express freight is 2-5 times more costly than air freight, likewise, air freight is 5 ~ 10x more expensive than sea freight; therefore, choose the freight mode that your pocket permits.

ii) Insurance cost: Cargo insurance provides a protective shield for your goods against unexpected damage, loss, theft other potential risks, so if you want to avail of cargo insurance from China to the USA then you have to pay 0.5 to 2% of the total shipment cost, So add up this expensive into your list also.

iii) Duties and Taxes:  Tariff rates ( taxes imposed by the government on imported and exported goods) for international shipping are increasing day by day, for example, an evident increment in US import tariffs in May 2024 on different types of items has been seen, some of which are discussed here in the table:

So, according to your cargo type, make a rough estimation of tax expenses, moreover you can be more clear about duties and taxes from HS codes ( harmonized System Codes) by visiting the website https://hts.usitc.gov/ or through Fl export’s HS Code Lockup Tool.

iv) Inspection cost: Sometimes, when your charge gets checked at customs, they incur your extra fees.

v) Warehouse storage cost: Prior to the shipping method, storing your cargo in the warehouse is also a paid process, you have to pay the rent for occupied space, maintenance, labour and tax, so bear this expense in mind.

vi) Loading and unloading charges: When you load your cargo on an aeroplane or ship, no doubt you will require a labour service, so you will have to pay them, similarly when your cargo reaches the USA you will pay for the unloading service, other than this, you also have to add the vehicle charges on which your goods will be unloaded from port to deliver it to the target door.

 vii) Weather conditions: Sometimes, due to poor weather conditions, only limited freight operates, due to which charges for running freights increase. So, if you have urgent freight in such weather conditions, then prepare yourself for some extra charges.

 viii) Cost of crude oil: The rate of crude oil is directly proportional to the shipping cost, if oil rates are high then shipping will cost more.

 ix) Delivery service type: Shipping cost also depends upon the delivery service you avail, either port-to-port, door-to-door, port-to-door, or door-to-port.

 x) Shipping season: Due to the abundance of shipping during sale seasons, there are very few empty spots left, so shipping companies increase their rates.

When you take your parcel to shipping companies, the first thing they ask for is where you want to deliver the parcel ( in this case USA ) and then they ask for the dimensions & weight of the parcel.

In the case of sea & train freight, there is an option of FCL ( full container load ) whose price is fixed like $10,000 so you put any stuff in it as long as it is within the container ( there is no weight limit ).

However, if your package is small, then the sea, air, train, and express freight will charge you based on the dimensions and weight of the parcel, whichever is bigger. For example, if a shipping company has a fixed 80 kg weight 1-meter square of the parcel, then if your parcel is 81 kg, then you have to pay extra even if it is only 0.5 meters in dimension. Similarly, if your parcel is 60 kg but exceeds 1 meter in size, then you have to pay extra.

Moreover, it is worth noting that different shipping companies allow different weights in a 1-meter square area ( air freight allows less while sea freight is more ). Last but not least, each shipping company also charge different per cubic meter of their space.

Besides this, there are other factors which shipping companies take into consideration while calculating costs;

i) Type of goods: There are basically two types of cargo; 

• General cargo: General cargo includes items that don’t need any special care during delivery like some physical products, electronics, pharmaceuticals, etc, so less care will cost you less. 

• Special cargo: The types of goods that need special care such as dangerous chemicals, live animals, items that require a refrigerator to keep them fresh, etc, so if you have to deliver some special cargo, then keep more money aside.

ii) Distance between origin and destination: The distance between the specific city in China and the target destination in the USA can vary the shipping cost, so a longer distance costs more than a shorter one.

Well! That’s a great question because shipping mode plays a lead role in controlling your shipping budget from China to the USA, because there’s a markable difference in the level of service, delivery timing and security system of every freight type, and no doubt level-up services charge more than the average one, so a pre-planned budget always guarantees a smooth shipping of your cargo.

But due to certain factors, ( which we have discussed before  ) we can’t present an exact numerical figure for the shipping cost, but still for approx. estimation of shipping cost from China to the USA, let’s discuss the cost of each shipping mode one by one.

As we have discussed earlier sea freight from China to the USA is not much faster, therefore its cost is also not too high, but still, to manage your business budget, getting information about it is necessary.

As you know air freight is a bit more costly than sea freight, so keeping an eye on the updated freight cost is essential to avoid any issues during shipping hours from China to the USA; therefore, for your ease, here are some air freight cost/kg are mentioned in the table below:

As express freight is the fastest and safest one, its prices are also high accordingly. Moreover, prices of express freight also vary from company to to company. Some well-known companies with the most advanced digital systems charge more, while others are less costly, so let’s take a swift look at them in table form.

From finding the best shipping method to document completion to customs clearance, you will have to face hundreds of problems and at some, you may get stuck, no matter how much experience you have because you are shipping by sitting far away from China. So, its always suggested to hire a Freight forwarder and we at Winsky Freight can be a one-stop solution for all your needs.

Since 2008, we have had hundreds of clients to source and ship their products from China to all over the world. We can ensure you fast, hassle-free, and budget-friendly shipment so you can make profits in the peak season, pls feel free to contact us for the best shipping quote from China to USA!