In November 2026, shipping from China to the USA costs about $7,600–8,500 for a 40ft container to Los Angeles, $120–150 per cubic metre for a shared container (LCL), $6.8–8.5 per kg for air freight and $12–16 per kg by express. Below you will find the current rates, the cost per kg for each method, what a quote includes, worked examples, two real shipments and how to keep your cost down. Rates move every week, so we update this page every month.
Key points
• A 40ft container to the US West Coast costs more than double the price to Northern Europe.
• The freight rate is only part of the bill. US customs, tariffs on Chinese goods and final delivery are often larger.
• For most shipments above about 2 cubic metres, sea freight is far cheaper per kg than air.
• Rates change weekly. Send your details and we reply with today’s price within 2 hours.
China to USA shipping rates at a glance
| Method | Typical cost (November 2026) | Door-to-door time | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sea FCL, 20ft to West Coast | about $6,800–8,000 | 25–35 days | About 15–28 CBM of heavy goods |
| Sea FCL, 40ft to West Coast | about $7,600–8,500 | 25–35 days | Full orders up to about 58–68 CBM |
| Sea FCL, 40ft to East Coast | about $9,700–11,000 | 35–45 days | Buyers in New York, New Jersey and the East |
| Sea LCL | about $120–150 per CBM | 30–45 days | About 2–15 CBM |
| Air freight (100 kg+) | about $6.8–8.5 per kg | 5–10 days | Urgent and seasonal stock |
| Express courier | about $12–16 per kg | 3–7 days | Samples and parcels under about 50 kg |
Sea and air prices are the main freight from South China (Yantian, Shekou, Nansha, Shenzhen and Guangzhou airports) to the main US ports and airports. Express prices are door to door. US customs, duties and final delivery are extra unless you ship DDP.
Rates change every week. Send us your shipment details and we reply with today’s price within 2 hours.
Shipping cost from China to the USA per kg
If you think in kilos, here is how the methods compare for ordinary cartons. Sea freight is priced by volume, so the cost per kg depends on how heavy your goods are for their size.
| Method | Cost per kg (approx.) | How it is charged |
|---|---|---|
| Sea LCL | usually well under $1 per kg for average cartons | Per cubic metre (one CBM usually holds 150–300 kg) |
| Sea FCL | lowest per kg when the container is full | Per container |
| Air freight | about $6.8–8.5 per kg | Chargeable weight: the higher of actual weight or volume weight (1 CBM = 167 kg) |
| Express | about $12–16 per kg | Chargeable weight (1 CBM = 200 kg), door to door |
Light, bulky goods such as pillows, plastic household items or furniture cost much more by air than their weight suggests. Use our freight cost calculator to work out CBM, chargeable weight and an estimated cost from your carton sizes. For the rules behind it, see chargeable weight.
Which method costs least for your shipment size?
| Shipment size | Usually cheapest | Also consider |
|---|---|---|
| Under 20 kg (samples) | Express | Nothing else is practical |
| 20–100 kg | Express | Air freight if the goods are dense |
| 100–500 kg, under about 2 CBM | Air freight if urgent | LCL if you can wait 4–6 weeks |
| About 2–15 CBM | Sea LCL | Air only for urgent stock |
| About 15–28 CBM | 20ft container | LCL if close to 15 CBM; compare both |
| About 28–68 CBM | 40ft container | Two 20ft only for very heavy goods |
These limits move with the market. See air freight vs sea freight and LCL shipping from China.
Worked examples
1. 15 kg of samples by express. 15 kg × $12–16 per kg, door to door, arriving in 3–7 days. Import duty may be charged on delivery.
2. 200 kg of cartons by air. 200 kg × $6.8–8.5 per kg for the air freight, if the cartons are not bulky (under about 1.2 CBM). Pickup, export clearance, US customs and delivery are added in a door-to-door quote.
3. 5 CBM of stock by LCL to Los Angeles. 5 CBM × $120–150 per CBM for the ocean freight. US destination charges, customs entry and trucking depend on the city and are included in our door-to-door quote.
4. A 40ft container to a warehouse in Dallas. Ocean freight to Los Angeles at about $7,600–8,500, plus origin charges in China, US terminal charges, customs entry and bond, duties, and rail or truck to Dallas. For inland cities, routing through the West Coast is usually cheaper than an East Coast sailing.
Two real shipments
| Furniture to Los Angeles | Storage boxes and kitchen racks to New York | |
|---|---|---|
| Suppliers | 3 factories in and around Shenzhen | 2 suppliers |
| Method | Sea freight, full container | Sea freight, LCL |
| Pickup to warehouse delivery | 38 days from first pickup | 45 days |
| Problem | One factory finished late | Some cartons arrived at our warehouse deformed |
| What we did | Collected ready goods in batches, held them at our warehouse, moved the loading date and shipped everything in one container | Replaced outer cartons, reinforced the packing and checked every carton number again before shipping |
Combining suppliers into one container avoided paying for several small shipments, and fixing the cartons in China avoided damage claims in the USA.
What is included, and what is extra
A China to USA shipment has five cost blocks. Ask every forwarder which of them their price covers.
Duties are not set by the forwarder. They depend on what you import, and tariffs on Chinese goods have changed several times since 2025. Check your rate in our guide to import duties from China to the USA. For the customs steps, see ISF filing, customs bonds and import customs clearance.
Charges that surprise first-time importers
- Destination terminal and CFS charges on LCL, charged per CBM at the US warehouse.
- Chassis and pre-pull fees when a container cannot go straight to your warehouse.
- Demurrage and detention if the container is not collected or returned on time. See demurrage and detention.
- Customs exam fees if US Customs selects the shipment for inspection.
- Liftgate or appointment fees for delivery to an address without a loading dock.
A door-to-door or DDP quote includes most of these, so ask for one when comparing prices.
Why US rates are high, and how to pay less
Container prices from Asia to the US have stayed high through 2026, and East Coast routes cost more than the West Coast because ships sail further. You cannot control the market, but you can control how you ship:
- Use the West Coast for most of the country. Los Angeles or Long Beach plus rail to Chicago or Dallas is often cheaper than an all-water sailing to the East Coast.
- Fill containers. From about 15 CBM, compare LCL with a full container; on US routes LCL freight can stay cheaper for longer, but a container is faster and handled less.
- Combine suppliers into one shipment instead of several small ones. See freight consolidation.
- Book two to three weeks ahead, and earlier before peak season and Chinese New Year.
- Pack to save volume. Every cubic metre you remove saves money on sea and air.
More ideas in the cheapest way to ship from China.
When China to USA rates usually rise
| Period | What happens | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 4–6 weeks before Chinese New Year | Factories rush to ship before the holiday; space gets tight and rates often rise | Book early and plan for factories closing for 2–4 weeks |
| Around Golden Week (early October) | A one-week national holiday in China; shipments bunch up before and after it | Ship before the holiday or wait until the week after |
| July to October | Peak season for US holiday stock; ocean rates and surcharges are often highest | Book two to three weeks ahead and avoid last-minute air freight |
| Events such as port strikes or route changes | Carriers add surcharges or change schedules at short notice | Ask your forwarder how long a quote is valid |
For holiday dates, see China public holidays 2027.
DDP: one price to your door
With DDP shipping, our price covers all five blocks above: pickup, freight, US customs, duties and delivery. You know the full landed cost before you pay, and you do not need your own customs broker or bond. It is popular with Amazon sellers and first-time importers. Importing on your own? Read our guide to importing from China to the USA. Not sure which term to use? Read DDP vs DAP: who pays what. Before booking, check our DDP scope checklist.
Checklist: what to send for an accurate quote
Send these details and we reply with a written price within 2 hours:
- Product name and HS code, if you have it
- Number of cartons, weight and carton size, or total CBM
- Supplier address in China and the date the goods are ready
- Number of suppliers, if you are buying from more than one
- Delivery address or Amazon warehouse code in the US
- Whether the delivery address has a loading dock
- Whether you want DDP or will clear customs yourself
Get today’s price from China to the USA. See also shipping from China to the USA and how long shipping takes.
China to USA shipping cost: FAQ
How much does it cost to ship a container from China to the USA?
In November 2026, a 40ft container to the West Coast costs about $7,600–8,500 and to the East Coast about $9,700–11,000, for the main sea freight. A 20ft container to the West Coast costs about $6,800–8,000.
What is the shipping cost from China to the USA per kg?
About $6.8–8.5 per kg by air freight for 100 kg or more, and about $12–16 per kg by express. By sea it is usually well under $1 per kg for average cartons, because sea freight is charged by volume.
What is the cheapest way to ship from China to the USA?
Sea freight. LCL for about 2–15 cubic metres; above that, compare LCL with a full container. For small parcels under about 20 kg, express is usually cheapest.
Does the shipping cost include US duties?
Not unless you ship DDP. Duties and tariffs are charged by US Customs based on your product and its value, and they are often larger than the freight.
Is it cheaper to ship to the West Coast or the East Coast?
The West Coast is cheaper and faster for ocean freight. For buyers in the Midwest and South, West Coast plus rail or truck is often cheaper overall; for the Northeast, compare both.
Why do quotes from different forwarders vary so much?
Usually because they include different cost blocks. One may quote only port-to-port freight, another door to door with customs. Compare quotes that cover the same scope.
How long is a shipping quote valid?
Ocean and air rates usually change every week or two, so most quotes are valid for a short period or until the sailing. We confirm the price when you book.
How quickly can I get a quote?
Send us the product, volume or weight, pickup city and delivery address, and we reply with a written price within 2 hours.
Comparing container prices to other countries? See the cost to ship a container from China. Shipping before the holiday? See the Chinese New Year 2027 shipping deadlines.
Rates are for November 2026, based on current market rates from South China, and are updated every month. Prices change weekly with the market, season and space, and we confirm the exact price for each shipment. Ask for today’s price.
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