Last updated: January 2024

In our previous article, we have guided you through the entire process of product importation from China to the USA. Now, we would like to get you a detailed guide about the Shipping Cost from China to the USA.

This guide will help you determine the best option with regard to the available shipping methods to receive your products. We will cover everything that you need to know about the process and costs, so let us go!

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Cheapest Shipping Options from China to the USA

The first thing to consider before ordering your products from China is what are your choices when it comes to shipping.

Do not worry; we will give you a comprehensive guide on everything that you need to know about the shipping options you have.

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Air Freight Costs and Rates from China to the US

Airfreight is another popular shipping method for importation. If you want to receive your imported products in just three days, this should be your choice.

There is also another type of air freight called Express Air Freight Shipping, which we will discuss later. Here are some of the advantages of using this mode of transportation:

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Advantages of Air Freight:

• The fastest shipping methods you can find
• Customers are able to ship their goods for almost anywhere
• Airfreight shipments are secured
• Airfreight shipments reduce the cost for packaging, warehousing, and insurance
• Has reliable arrival and departure time

If your products weigh between 150 to 500 kgs, air freight should be your top choice. When it comes to air freight cost, you should take note of the volumetric weight (also known as the dimensional weight) or actual weight. Depending on which is more expensive, that is the rate of your shipping.

During the regular season, air freights usually cost between $2.50 to $5.00 per kilogram. This still depends on the type of cargo that you are shipping, and the availability of space on the plane. Aside from the rate stated above, you can also encounter additional air freight costs like:

• Airport transfers
• Fuel surcharges
• Security surcharges
• Container freight station/terminal handling charges

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Express Air Freight Shipping

We are all knowledgeable about the most popular Express Shipping Companies in the US. Aside from being a more accessible mode of transportation compared to sea and air freight that we are going to discuss later, Express Shipping is also the fastest.

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Advantages of Express Shipping:

• There is no need to worry about customs clearance
• There are no differences in shipping costs on any part of the US
• Suitable for online sellers who needs to restock urgently

Now, among the famous couriers, FedEx, UPS, and DHL, we will be giving you the costs and extra things you need to know about each company.

Courier Company	Customs Clearance Process	Shipping Cost
FedEx	Faster	Cheaper
UPS	Faster	Cheaper
DHL	Slower	Higher

As you can see, you can rely on FedEx and UPS more based on its efficiency and affordability. But before we go through a detailed list of the costs, one thing that you need to remember is that Express Shipping is quite unstable for its costs, and it can even change every week.

These shipping costs can skyrocket high a month before Thanksgiving and Christmas, so you have to ensure that your items are fully restocked before these occasions come.

Express Shipping Costs from China to the USA

Before anything else, regardless of the courier company, you have to expect that the shipping costs of Express Shipping are generally higher. These companies differ on discounts, and this can be based on the frequency of shipping of your supplier or freight forwarder.

The impact of the season also affects the price of the shipping, just like we have mentioned earlier. No worries, the list that you are about to see are the usual shipping costs per company, and you can always reach out to them or top your supplier (if they will be handling the shipping) anytime.

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FedEx

There are two shipping methods in FedEx: The International Priority (IP) and International Economy (IE) delivery. If you are in a rush, you should choose IP since it has a faster shipping time of 2 days rather than the four days delivery of IE.

FedEX IE (<21kg)
0.5-5.5KG	Cost ($)	6-11 kg	Cost ($)	11.5-16.5 kg	Cost ($)	17-20.5 kg	Cost ($)
o.5	24	6	72	11.5	112	17	161
1	29	6.5	77	12	127	17.5	167
1.5	36	7	82	12.5	131	18	171
2	43	7.5	87	13	136	18.5	175
2.5	50	8	92	13.5	139	19	180
3	53	8.5	97	14	144	20	186
3.5	56	9	102	14.5	148	20.5	190
4	61	9.5	107	15	152	–	–
4.5	66	10	112	15.5	152	–	–
5	70	10.5	115	16	155	–	–
5.5	71	11	119	16.5	158	–	–

FedEX IP (<21kg)
0.5-5.5KG	Cost ($)	6-11 kg	Cost ($)	11.5-16.5 kg	Cost ($)	17-20.5 kg	Cost ($)
o.5	25	6	97	11.5	169	17	241
1	31	6.5	103	12	175	17.5	248
1.5	38	7	110	12.5	182	18	254
2	44	7.5	116	13	189	18.5	261
2.5	51	8	123	13.5	195	19	267
3	57	8.5	130	14	202	20	274
3.5	64	9	136	14.5	208	20.5	280
4	70	9.5	143	15	215	–	–
4.5	77	10	149	15.5	221	–	–
5	84	10.5	156	16	228	–	–
5.5	90	11	162	16.5	234	–	–

FedEx IP (>21 kg)	FedEx IE (>21 kg)
21-70 kg	$7 to 7.5	21-70 kg	$6.5 to $6.7
>70 kg	$6.3 to $7	>70 kg	$6 to $6.5

DHL Shipping Cost

0.5 to 20.5 kg	For example, 99.2kgs, DHL charges 100kgs.
0.5 kg	Next 0.5 kg	21 to 30 kg	30 to 50 kg	51 to 69 kg	70 to 100 kg	101 to 200 kg	201 to 300 kg	301 to 500 kg	500+ kg
19.5	4.69	8.06	8.06	8.06	8.06	8.06	8.06	7.86	7.86

Sea Freight Costs and Rates from China to the US

If you are not aware of it, sea freights usually take 30 to 40 days to transport your goods from China to the USA. If you are a businessman who is not currently in a hurry to receive your products, this can be your option. This shipping method is also best when your cargo is more than 500 kgs. Here are some of the factors that can

If the quantity of your products is less than 15cbm, your freight forwarder will ship your cargo by LCL. This means that you are sharing a container with other importers, and your cargo load is less than a container.

FCL, by its name, implies that your cargo has fully consumed the space of the container. With this type of load, the freight cost is calculated based on the whole container. It is generally cheaper than that of LCL. The container model is also divided into three types:

Full Container Load	20” GP	40” GP	40” HQ
CBM Contained*	28 CBM	58 CBM	68 CBM

*1 CBM = 1 Cubic Meter

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All-Included Sea Freight Cost to the US

This table below will give you a hint about the cost per CBM and container shipping rates:

USA	3-5 CBM	5-10CBM	10 CBM+	20” GP	40” HQ
US West ($)	310	240	180	3700	4200
Central America ($)	340	290	240	–	–
US East ($)	370	320	260	–	–

Here is a list of the actual cost for shipping to Los Angeles and New York:

	Bulk Cargo（Less Than Container Load）	Full Container Load （FCL）20” GP	Full Container Load （FCL）40” HQ
Ningbo – New York	$75/CBM	$2100/Container	$2600/Container
Ningbo – Los Angeles	$70/CBM	$1500/Container	$1600/Container

Now, here is the in-depth basis of the cost depending on who will be shouldering the shipping:

• Free on Board (FOB)

With FOB, your supplier will be the one to ship your goods directly to the port of shipment. That means that the shipping cost will be:

Shipping Cost = Cost of Sea Freight from a port in China to a port in the USA + American customs clearance cost + Local logistics cost in the USA

• Ex Works (EXW)

With EXW, you, the buyer, would be the one responsible for the whole shipment from door to door and this is what it entails:

Shipping cost = Local logistics cost in China + China export cost + Cost for sea freight from a Chinese port to America port +American customs clearance cost + Local logistics require in the USA

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