Air freight vs sea freight is the first decision on almost every shipment from China. Air gets your goods to you in about a week but costs several times more; sea freight is the cheapest way to move volume but takes four to eight weeks door to door. This guide compares the two on price, transit time and how each is charged, works through one shipment both ways, and gives simple rules for choosing, including when to split an order between air and sea.
Key points
• Air freight from China takes about 5–10 days door to door; sea freight takes about 25–60 days, depending on the destination and on LCL or FCL.
• Air is charged on chargeable weight (actual weight or L × W × H in cm ÷ 6,000). Sea LCL is charged per CBM or tonne, and FCL per container.
• For light, bulky cartons, air freight can cost eight to ten times the sea freight for the same goods.
• As a rule: under about 100 kg, compare express and air; from about 2 CBM, sea is usually cheaper; from about 15 CBM, a full container.
• Many importers split an order: a small part by air to start selling, the rest by sea.
Air Freight vs Sea Freight at a Glance
| Luftfracht | Sea freight | |
|---|---|---|
| How you pay | Per kg of chargeable weight (actual or volume weight, ÷ 6,000) | LCL per CBM or tonne, whichever is greater; FCL per container |
| Door to door from South China | About 5–10 days | USA 25–45 days, Canada 25–45 days, UK and Germany 40–55 days; LCL about 5–7 days more |
| Practical minimum | From about 100 kg (below that, express is often better) | LCL from about 1–2 CBM; FCL from about 15 CBM |
| Best for | Urgent, high-value or light goods, launches, stock-outs | Larger and heavier orders, regular restocks, low-margin products |
| Handling | Fewer handling steps and less time in transit | LCL is handled at consolidation and unpacking; FCL is sealed from loading to delivery |
| Batteries and dangerous goods | Strict rules and lower limits | Usually more options, with the right documents |
| Carbon footprint | Highest per tonne | Lowest per tonne |
Air vs Sea Freight Prices from China
Typical rates for November 2026, from South China, for the main freight only. Destination charges, customs and delivery are added to both; a door-to-door quote includes them.
| Destination | Air freight per kg | Sea LCL per CBM | Sea 40ft container |
|---|---|---|---|
| USA | $6.8–8.5 | $120–150 | $7,600–8,500 (West Coast) |
| Kanada | $6.5–8.5 | $140–190 | $8,400–9,800 (Vancouver) |
| Vereinigtes Königreich | $4.5–6.5 | $60–90 | $3,550–4,050 |
| Deutschland | $4.5–6.5 | Quoted per shipment | $3,600–4,100 (Hamburg) |
Rates change every week, so use these to compare the two modes, not as a quote. See our air freight and sea freight pages for more detail, or ask for today’s price.
One Shipment, Two Ways: A Worked Example
Take 30 cartons of 55 × 45 × 35 cm, 9 kg each, going to a warehouse in the USA. That is 2.6 CBM and 270 kg in total (see how to calculate CBM).
| Luftfracht | Sea freight LCL | |
|---|---|---|
| What you are billed on | Volume weight 433 kg (more than the 270 kg actual weight) | 2.6 CBM (more than 0.27 tonnes) |
| Freight | 433 kg × $6.8–8.5 per kg | 2.6 CBM × $120–150 per CBM |
| Door to door | About 5–10 days | About 30–50 days |
At November 2026 rates, the air freight for these cartons is about eight to nine times the sea freight. Light, bulky goods like these are billed on size, which is why air is so expensive for them. For dense goods, such as metal parts, air is billed closer to the actual weight and the gap is smaller.
Freight is not the whole cost. Goods that sit on a ship for six weeks are money you have already paid for but cannot sell. For a product that is out of stock on Amazon, a week by air can earn more than it costs; for regular restocks, the lower sea freight usually wins.
Door-to-door time from South China to the US West Coast
Typical times; East Coast, inland US, the UK and Europe take longer by sea. See shipping time from China to the USA.
When to Choose Air Freight
- The goods are urgent: a launch date, a trade show, a customer order with a deadline.
- You are out of stock: lost sales and lost ranking on Amazon often cost more than the extra freight.
- The goods are valuable and small: electronics, accessories, cosmetics and samples, where freight is a small share of the value.
- The shipment is between about 100 and 500 kg and needs to arrive within two weeks.
When to Choose Sea Freight
- The order is large or heavy: from about 2 CBM, sea freight is usually much cheaper per unit.
- You restock on a schedule and can order four to eight weeks ahead.
- Margins are thin: furniture, home goods, building materials and other bulky products.
- The volume is about 13 CBM or more: compare LCL with a full container. Which is cheaper depends on the route, and a full container is faster and handled less. See LCL vs FCL.
Simple Rules for Choosing
| Shipment size | Usually best | Door to door |
|---|---|---|
| Under about 20 kg | Express courier | 3–7 days |
| About 20–100 kg | Express or air freight (compare both) | 3–10 days |
| About 100–500 kg, urgent | Luftfracht | 5–10 days |
| About 2–15 CBM | Sea freight LCL | 30–60 days |
| About 15 CBM and more | Sea freight FCL | 25–55 days |
Our guide to the cheapest way to ship from China explains these thresholds by destination.
Between Air and Sea: Other Options
- Split shipments. Send 10–20% of the order by air to start selling, and the rest by sea to restock. It is a common choice for new Amazon products.
- China–Europe rail. For Europe, rail takes about 25–35 days door to door to Germany, faster than sea and much cheaper than air, at about $170–220 per CBM. See China–Europe rail freight.
- Express. For samples and cartons under about 20–100 kg, express is often cheaper than air freight, because there are no minimum charges at origin or destination. See express from China.
If your products contain lithium batteries, check the rules first: air freight has strict limits on battery type, size and packing, while sea freight usually allows more. See shipping batteries from China.
How JIEYI Helps You Choose
We are a freight forwarder in Dongguan and ship from South China to the USA, Canada, the UK and Europe by air, sea, rail and express. Send us your cartons, weight and deadline, and we quote air and sea side by side, door to door, with duties paid if you choose DDP. If you split an order, the same team ships both parts from our warehouse in Guangdong.
Send us your packing list to compare air and sea for your shipment.
Air Freight vs Sea Freight: FAQ
Is sea freight always cheaper than air freight?
Per kilo, almost always. For very small shipments, though, sea freight’s fixed charges at origin and destination can make it more expensive in total than air or express. Below about 100 kg, compare all three.
How long does air freight from China take?
About 2–4 days airport to airport and 5–10 days door to door to the USA, Canada, the UK and Europe, including pickup, customs and delivery.
How much more expensive is air freight than sea freight?
It depends on the goods. For light, bulky cartons air freight can cost eight to ten times the sea freight; for dense, heavy goods the gap is smaller, because air is billed closer to the actual weight.
Can I ship part of my order by air and the rest by sea?
Yes. Many importers send a small part by air to start selling and the rest by sea. We can split one order at our warehouse in Guangdong and ship both parts.
What is chargeable weight in air freight?
The higher of the actual weight and the volume weight, which is length × width × height in cm divided by 6,000 for each carton. Light, bulky goods are billed on volume weight.
Checked on October 26, 2026. Prices are typical rates for the month shown and change weekly; transit times are typical door-to-door ranges from South China. Ask us to compare air and sea for your shipment.
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