Are you ready to exploit the booming market by importing products from China to the USA? That’s a great decision. Before you rush in, you should understand how long it takes goods to travel from China to the USA, so you can budget time and costs appropriately. Otherwise, you might find yourself frustrated waiting weeks for your cargo to arrive.

In this guide, we’ll fully explain the factors affecting shipping time between China and the USA, identify the common causes of delays, and give tips to speed up your shipping process.

Let’s see the various factors that determine the duration of your China to US shipping:

This is the biggest factor determining the transit time from China to the US. There are different shipping methods to choose from, each with different transit times and costs. Before choosing a shipping method, you should consider:

1. Urgency of Delivery
2. Nature of Goods
3. Shipping Costs
4. Volume and Weight of Cargo

Express shipping services, provided by DHL, FedEx, and UPS, offer the fastest delivery times to the USA. However, they come at two to three times the cost of other shipping methods. You should only use this method when necessary, such as when shipping small parcels like product samples, urgent documents, or high-value items.

Expect express shipping from China to the USA to take 2 to 5 days. Shipping couriers have specialized staff that handle customs and work overnight to get your goods to the destination as fast as possible. The specific transit time can vary based on the courier used, the service level chosen (standard, expedited, or same-day), and the destination in the US.

Remember, it is a door-to-door service. Therefore, your goods come straight from the supplier to your doorstep. If you live in crowded cities like New York or San Francisco, traffic delays may cause your goods to be delayed an extra day.

“Air freight from China to the USA takes about 8 to 10 days.” You might wonder why air freight takes longer than express shipping, even though both use air travel. The actual flight time for air freight is only 2-3 days. However, additional time is needed for handling and loading cargo, customs clearance, and inland transportation.

If you pay extra for a direct flight, your goods can arrive faster (usually the next day). Indirect flights with layovers take longer.

Note that the values in the table below are port-to-port travel times, not door-to-door.

“Sea freight from China to the USA takes about 15 to 45 days, depending on where you’re shipping to in the US.”

Destination in the USA: Shipping to West Coast ports like Los Angeles or Long Beach takes 15 to 20 days while shipping to East Coast ports like New York or Miami takes 30 to 45 days. Sometimes, we advise importers to ship to the West Coast and then deliver the goods by road to save time and money.

LCL or FCL: “In LCL shipping, you ship goods with others.” You might have to wait for the consolidation of other shippers’ goods and deconsolidation at the US port. So, expect LCL shipments to take longer than FCL shipments.

Other factors, such as customs delays, port congestion, handling times, weather conditions, and vessel speed, also affect sea freight time.

The table below is just an estimate for your reference. Please ask us for an exact date before shipping.

You already understand that there are many different ports in China and the USA. To reduce inland transportation costs as much as possible, choose the origin port closest to your supplier’s location and the destination port nearest to your final destination.

The USA is a vast country. Depending on where you stay, your goods from China may be shipped to the East or West Coast. These different routes determine the distance and transit time it takes for goods to travel from China to the USA. Understanding the most popular routes will help you estimate shipping times more accurately.

• West Coast Routes: Shipping to the West Coast is faster due to the shorter distance from China. Your goods will mostly depart from Shenzhen, Shanghai, and Ningbo ports and arrive in the USA in Los Angeles, Long Beach, or Oakland. If you ship from Shanghai, your goods should arrive on the West Coast within 20 days.
• East Coast Routes: Shipping to the East Coast takes longer because of the greater distance from China. However, this route is better if you want to distribute goods to major markets in the eastern and midwestern USA. Ports like New York, Savannah, and Miami are the biggest ports on this route. If you ship from Shanghai, your goods may take up to 40 days to arrive on the East Coast.

Once you’re ready to ship, Winsky Freight can arrange the best shipping route to the USA.

You can’t avoid customs clearance in your China to US shipping. There is export customs clearance before your goods are shipped out of China and import customs clearance before your goods enter the USA. Customs authorities in both countries may inspect your goods, verify your export and import documents, and collect applicable taxes and duties.

This whole process usually takes a few days. However, it might take much longer if there are issues with documentation, incorrect product classification, discrepancies in declarations, or if the shipment is selected for random inspection. When shipping, budget a few extra days for clearance.

Using a Customs Broker or an experienced China-to-US freight forwarder is your best bet for speeding up the entire clearance process. If you prefer to do it on your own, you can check out the process of preparing import tax from China to the US.

There are particular shipping periods of the year designated as ‘Peak Shipping Seasons.’ These periods are usually associated with major events and holidays in China. During these times, ports, airports, and shipping companies experience higher cargo volumes, leading to congestion and longer processing times. Goods shipped to the US this season will take much longer to arrive.

The most prominent peak season is the Chinese New Year, which occurs in January or February. You should also note the Golden Week holiday in October and the Back to School, Thanksgiving, and Christmas holidays in the US. For essential tips and shipping best practices during this period, you can check out our guide on planning and shipping during peak shipping season.

One important time you must budget for is the time taken to process orders with your supplier in China and the handling time at ports and airports. Once you place an order, the supplier needs time to prepare and package the goods for shipment. Depending on the type of goods, this process can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks.

Preparing the required documentation, such as invoices, packing lists, and certificates of origin, can also add to the processing time. Remember to also account for loading and unloading times at the ports and time taken for inland transportation.

If you’re familiar with international shipping, then you understand the concept of incoterms and how much they can influence shipping time and cost. Incoterms are formal agreements that define the responsibilities of the buyer and seller for loading, shipping, insurance, and customs clearance of goods.

Incoterms that require the buyer to take more shipping responsibility, like EXW or FOB, can take longer transit time if not properly managed. In contrast, incoterms like CIF or DDP may be faster since they’re more direct, and the seller handles the largest part of the shipping process. The thing to remember is that incoterms that split responsibilities require more coordination with your supplier, which can cause delays if communication breaks down.

“Express couriers are the fastest way to ship goods from China to the USA, followed by air freight.” However, due to expenses and the volume of your goods, you cannot always use these services.

Shipping delays can be frustrating and costly. Knowing the causes of these delays can help you avoid them and speed up travel. Some of the common causes of shipping delays from China to the USA are:

1. Customs Clearance Issues: Customs do not often delay importers’ shipments. But they will do so if there are documentation problems or they need to inspect your shipment. Under normal circumstances, your goods should go through US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in a couple of days.
2. Port Congestion: This is commonly experienced at major seaports in China and the USA. Congestion makes loading and unloading difficult, and your goods take longer than necessary at the port.
3. Weather Conditions: Yes, bad weather greatly affects shipping time, especially air shipments, which depend on planes for travel.
4. Chinese Holidays: We’ve already mentioned how most Chinese manufacturers go on public holidays like the Chinese New Year and Golden Week. Because many importers are trying to avoid this, they rush to ship before the holidays, which leads to congestion and delays.
5. Logistical Errors: Sometimes, you or your supplier might make mistakes such as incorrect labeling, misrouted shipments, or delays in inland transportation that affect the shipping time.

Proper planning and choosing reliable freight forwarders will help you avoid these shipping delays.

Here are some tips to expedite your shipping time from China to the US:

1. Choose the right shipping method
2. Avoid peak season shipping
3. Use direct shipments when you can. Indirect or transshipments take longer.
4. Ensure Proper Documentation
5. Use a reputable freight forwarder.
6. Optimize Packaging and Labeling
7. Consider paying for expedited freight when time is of concern.

Importers want to stay informed about the progress of their shipments during transit. There are several ways to do this. Most express shipping companies will provide you with a unique tracking number. For sea freight, you’ll need your Bill of Lading (BoL) number, and for air freight, you’ll need your Air Waybill (AWB) number. Input these numbers into the carrier’s official website to get real-time updates on your goods.

If your shipment is handled by multiple carriers or you prefer a consolidated tracking experience, you can use third-party tracking services. Some popular ones are 17track, track-trace, Parcel App, and Ship24 Tracking.

That said, the easiest way to monitor your goods is to simply reach out to your freight forwarder. They always provide tracking services and will give you regular updates on your shipment’s status.

In summary, you play a significant role in reducing your shipping time from China to the USA. Now that you understand the factors involved, you’re better prepared to optimize your shipping process.

Using a reputable freight forwarder like Winsky Freight is one of the smartest decisions you can make when shipping to the USA. From shipping and customs clearance to final delivery, you need a partner who understands the ins and outs of China to US shipping, and we very much do. Contact Winsky today for a smooth shipping experience.