Air Freight from China to USA: Routes, Cost per Kg & Transit 2026

Air freight from China to the USA typically costs $3.50 to $5.50 per kg for standard cargo, billed on chargeable weight. Peak season, from October to December, pushes this to $5.00–$8.00 per kg. Rates run lowest from Shanghai and Hong Kong, where carrier competition is strongest. Smaller or regional Chinese airports often add a premium, since cargo has to connect through a hub first. Your final rate also depends on your destination airport, cargo type, and how far ahead you book. Ask for a live rate at /quote/ — just give us your HS code, weight, and timeline.

Air freight from China to the USA takes 3 to 6 days door-to-door, covering export clearance, the flight, and US customs. Air express services — DHL, FedEx, or UPS — can run slightly faster for small parcels under 100 kg. Flight time itself is under a day. Export clearance in China and CBP processing on arrival make up most of the difference. Expect longer waits during Chinese New Year and Q4 peak season, when air cargo capacity tightens across every Chinese gateway. Book your space early if your shipment has a hard delivery date.

Choose air freight for urgent, high-value, or lightweight cargo — it costs more per kg but takes days, not weeks. Choose ocean freight for bulk or heavy cargo, where cost matters more than speed. Air freight runs 3–6 days. Ocean FCL and LCL run 25–45 days, door-to-door. The break-even point usually sits around 500 kg. Below that, air's speed often saves more in inventory cost than it adds in freight cost. Above it, ocean usually wins on total landed cost. Compare FCL and LCL ocean options if your shipment is larger or less time-sensitive.

Air freight from China gets billed on chargeable weight — whichever is higher, actual weight or volumetric weight. Volumetric weight equals length × width × height, in centimeters, divided by 6,000. A carton measuring 60 × 40 × 50 cm has a volumetric weight of 120,000 ÷ 6,000, or 20 kg. If the actual weight is only 12 kg, you still pay for 20 kg, the higher of the two. Weight breakpoints sit at 45 kg, 100 kg, 300 kg, 500 kg, and 1,000 kg. Rates drop at each one, so tightening your packaging or consolidating smaller cartons can lower your total bill.

Shanghai Pudong (PVG) is one of China's busiest cargo airports, and the default choice for East China factories. Hong Kong International (HKG) offers strong capacity to US West Coast gateways, and many Shenzhen-area electronics shippers truck cargo there for consolidation. Guangzhou Baiyun (CAN) and Beijing Capital (PEK) both run direct freighter service to the USA, serving South China and North China factories. On the US side, Los Angeles (LAX) handles the most trans-Pacific volume. Chicago O'Hare (ORD) and New York JFK serve Midwest and East Coast buyers with a shorter final-mile run. We route each shipment through the best airport pair for your factory location and cargo type.

Yes. Section 301 tariffs apply the same way to air and ocean freight. Duty is based on your product's HTS classification, not the transport mode. Rates run 7.5% to 25%, and 2025 IEEPA executive orders added another 10% to 34% on top. Combined effective rates now reach 30% to 50% or more on many product categories. The suspended Section 321 de minimis exemption also applies to air shipments, so even small parcels need a formal CBP entry now. Licensed customs broker partners in our network review your HTS code before every shipment, air or ocean, to confirm your exact duty rate.