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

Air freight from China to the US West Coast runs about US$3.50–5.50 per kg, and US$5.00–8.00 in peak season, airport to airport (2026). It is billed on chargeable weight. Rates run lowest from Shanghai and Hong Kong, where carrier competition is strongest. Smaller or regional Chinese airports often add a premium, since cargo connects through a hub first. Your final rate also depends on your destination airport, cargo type and how far ahead you book. Other routes are in our air freight cost per kg guide. Send your HS code, weight and timeline at /quote/ and we quote your exact dates.

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. There is no universal 500 kg crossover or fixed price-to-speed ratio (see our air freight cost per kg guide): compare air and ocean offers for the same shipment and deadline, including local charges and inventory 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 100%, and the 12.5% Section 301 forced-labor duty adds on top since July 24, 2026. Combined effective rates now reach 20% to 40% or more on many product categories. The suspended Section 321 de minimis exemption also applies to air shipments, so even small parcels now need an appropriate CBP entry, formal or informal depending on value and product. Licensed customs broker partners in our network review your HTS code before every shipment, air or ocean, to confirm your exact duty rate. This duty applies only to covered HTS provisions; product exemptions must be checked.