The shipping time from China to the USA is about 25–35 days door to door by sea to the West Coast, 35–45 days to the East Coast, 5–10 days by air freight and 3–7 days by express courier. Below we show where those days actually go, what delays shipments most often, and how to plan your order so the stock arrives on time.
Key points
• The ocean crossing is only about half of a sea shipment. Pickup, export, US customs and trucking take the rest.
• West Coast ports are fastest. East Coast all-water services take longer at sea but avoid a long inland leg.
• LCL adds about 5–7 days to FCL, because cargo is consolidated in China and unpacked again in the US.
• Peak season, Golden Week and Chinese New Year (6 February 2027) can add one to two weeks.
• Late ISF data, vague invoices and customs exams cause most avoidable delays.
The short answer
| Method | Port / airport to port | Door to door | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sea FCL to West Coast | 14–20 days | 25–35 days | Full containers for California and the western states |
| Sea FCL to Midwest (rail via West Coast) | 20–28 days | 30–40 days | Chicago, Dallas and inland warehouses |
| Sea FCL to East Coast / Gulf | 30–40 days | 35–45 days | Warehouses and customers in the East and South |
| Sea LCL | As FCL | About 5–7 days longer than FCL | A few pallets or cartons |
| Luftfracht | 2–4 days | 5–10 days | Launches and stock-outs, from about 100 kg |
| Express courier (DHL, UPS, FedEx) | – | 3–7 days | Samples and urgent cartons |
Typical times from Shenzhen, Dongguan and Guangzhou, checked November 2026. Your schedule depends on the sailing or flight we book, and we confirm it before you pay.
Where the days go: a sea shipment to Los Angeles
When people say “it takes 15 days to ship from China to LA”, they mean the time at sea. Your goods are on the road much longer. Here is a typical full container from a factory in Dongguan to a warehouse in Southern California:
| Stage | Typical time | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Booking and space | 2–5 days | We confirm a sailing, the shipping line releases the container, the ISF data is collected |
| Pickup and loading | 1–3 days | Container trucked to the factory, cargo loaded, photos taken |
| Export customs and port cut-off | 2–4 days | Export declaration, container delivered to Yantian, Shekou or Nansha before the cut-off |
| Ocean crossing | 14–20 days | Sailing to Los Angeles / Long Beach |
| Unloading and US customs | 2–5 days | Container discharged, customs entry released, duties paid |
| Delivery | 1–3 days | Container picked up from the terminal and trucked to your address |
| Total | about 25–35 days | From a ready-to-ship order to your door |
This assumes the goods are finished and packed when we collect them. Production time comes on top, so ask your supplier for a firm ready date, not an estimate.
Shipping time by US destination
| Destination | Usual sea route | FCL door to door | LCL door to door |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, Southern California | Los Angeles / Long Beach | 25–35 days | 30–40 days |
| Seattle, Portland | Seattle–Tacoma | 25–35 days | 30–40 days |
| Chicago, Midwest | West Coast port plus rail | 30–40 days | 35–45 days |
| Dallas, Texas | West Coast plus rail, or Houston all-water | 30–40 days | 35–45 days |
| New York, New Jersey | All-water via Panama, or West Coast plus rail | 35–45 days | 40–50 days |
| Atlanta, Southeast | Savannah or Charleston all-water | 35–45 days | 40–50 days |
Typical ranges from a ready order in South China. Air freight to any of these cities is usually 5–10 days door to door.
West Coast or East Coast?
The West Coast (Los Angeles, Long Beach, Oakland, Seattle–Tacoma) is the shortest crossing and the usual choice. Cargo for Chicago and the Midwest continues by rail, which adds about a week.
All-water services to New York / New Jersey, Savannah, Charleston and Houston sail through the Panama Canal. They take 30–40 days at sea, but land the container close to warehouses in the East and South, which saves a long and expensive truck or rail trip across the country.
In 2026 the East Coast route has a few extra risks. Low water in the Panama Canal led to transit limits from September 2026, and several shipping lines added canal surcharges. If your delivery date is tight, ask us to compare a West Coast port plus rail with an all-water service.
Why LCL takes longer
With LCL (less than container load) you share a container with other shippers. Before sailing, your cartons go to a consolidation warehouse in Shenzhen and wait for the container to be filled and closed. After arrival in the US, the container goes to a warehouse to be unpacked, and your cartons are released separately. Each step adds a few days, so plan for about 5–7 days more than a full container.
If you have several suppliers, we can collect from each factory and consolidate everything in our Dongguan warehouse, so you ship once instead of several times.
Air freight or express?
Air freight flies on scheduled cargo and passenger flights from Shenzhen, Guangzhou or Hong Kong. The flight itself is short; most of the 5–10 days door to door is export handling, US customs and delivery. It is usually cheaper than express from about 100 kg.
Express couriers (DHL, UPS, FedEx) handle everything themselves, including customs, and deliver in 3–7 days. They are the simplest choice for samples and small, urgent cartons. Since the US suspended the de minimis exemption, small parcels from China also pay duty, so check the landed cost before you send.
Not sure which is cheaper for your cartons? Our freight calculator shows the chargeable weight for air and express and the volume for sea.
Shipping to Amazon FBA
For Amazon fulfilment centres, add time for the delivery appointment. In busy months, appointments can be several days to two weeks out, and Amazon may split one shipment across warehouses in different states. Labels and carton weights must also match Amazon’s rules, or the delivery can be refused. See our Amazon FBA shipping page for how we handle this. See how to ship from China to Amazon FBA.
What delays shipments from China to the USA
- Peak season (August to October): ships fill up, shipping lines cancel some sailings (blank sailings) and rates rise. Cargo that misses a sailing waits for the next one, usually a week later.
- Golden Week and Chinese New Year: factories, trucks and customs slow down around the October holiday and Chinese New Year. In 2027 Chinese New Year falls on 6 February, and many factories run at reduced capacity for several weeks around it. Plan for the last reliable sailings in early to mid January.
- Late ISF data: the Importer Security Filing must be lodged at least 24 hours before the container is loaded in China. Missing supplier details can hold the booking.
- Customs exams: US Customs (CBP) selects some shipments for inspection. An exam can add a few days to two weeks, plus exam fees. Accurate invoices, product descriptions and HS codes reduce the risk.
- Tariff and document checks: tariffs on Chinese goods have changed several times since 2025. Our 2026 US tariff guide explains the current layers.
- Port and rail congestion: waiting times at Los Angeles / Long Beach and on inland rail rise in busy weeks. We watch these and suggest other ports when they build up.
Real shipments: how long they took
Three recent sea shipments for our US customers, from first pickup in Shenzhen to delivery at their warehouses:
| Goods | Method | Destination | Pickup to delivery | What happened |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Furniture, 3 suppliers | Full container | Los Angeles | 38 days | One factory finished late; we collected ready goods in batches and shipped everything together |
| Storage boxes and kitchen racks, 2 suppliers | LCL | New York | 45 days | Some cartons arrived deformed; we replaced outer cartons before shipping |
| Clothing and accessories, 4 suppliers | LCL | Chicago | 42 days | Packing lists in four formats; we checked cartons and corrected documents before export |
These times include waiting for the last supplier and fixing problems in China, which is why they are longer than the sailing time alone. See LCL shipping from China for why shared containers take a few days more.
How to plan backwards from your arrival date
Work back from the date you need the stock, not forward from the order. For goods needed in a Los Angeles warehouse on 1 June by sea:
| Step | Latest date |
|---|---|
| Stock needed in the warehouse | 1 June |
| Container sails from Shenzhen (about 4–5 weeks earlier) | Late April |
| Goods ready at the factory, booking confirmed | Mid April |
| Production starts (check with your supplier) | March |
If your timeline crosses Golden Week or Chinese New Year, move every date one to two weeks earlier. If a date is missed, ship part of the order by air to cover sales and the rest by sea.
How to get your goods faster
- Book two to three weeks ahead in peak season and before Chinese New Year.
- Send the commercial invoice, packing list and HS codes before pickup, not after.
- Choose the port closest to your warehouse, not only the shortest sailing.
- Use DDP if you have no US customs broker, so one team handles clearance and duty. See our guide to importing from China to the USA. See DDP vs DAP vs EXW.
- Split urgent stock: a small air shipment to cover sales, the main order by sea.
Tell us the product, cartons and US address, and we will send sea, air and express options with the transit time for each. Get a US shipping quote, or read more on our China to USA shipping page.
Most of our US shipments leave from Shenzhen. See our guide to the Port of Yantian for routes and port-to-port times.
Frequently asked questions
What is the fastest way to ship from China to the USA?
Express courier, at about 3–7 days door to door. For larger shipments, air freight takes about 5–10 days and is usually cheaper than express from about 100 kg.
How long does sea freight from China to Los Angeles take?
About 14–20 days port to port, and about 25–35 days from a ready order in South China to a warehouse in Southern California.
How long does shipping from China to New York take?
By sea, about 30–40 days port to port on an all-water service, or 35–45 days door to door. By air, about 6–10 days.
Why does my shipment take longer than the sailing time?
Because pickup, export customs, port cut-offs, US customs and trucking add one to two weeks to the ocean crossing. Missed sailings and customs exams add more.
How early should I ship before Chinese New Year 2027?
Aim for goods ready and booked by early January 2027. Chinese New Year falls on 6 February, and factories and transport slow down for several weeks around it.
How long does LCL shipping from China to the USA take?
About 30–40 days door to door to the West Coast and 40–50 days to the East Coast, around 5–7 days longer than a full container.
How long does air freight from China to the USA take?
About 5–10 days door to door, including export handling, US customs and delivery. The flight itself is usually 1–2 days.
Shipping to Britain or Canada instead? See how long shipping from China to the UK takes and China to Canada shipping time.
Budgeting the shipment? See the current shipping cost from China to the USA.
Shipping before the holiday? See the Chinese New Year 2027 shipping deadlines.
Want to compare every sea, rail and air route side by side? Read our guide to shipping routes from China.
Checked on November 4, 2026. Transit times are typical ranges from South China and can change with schedules, port conditions and holidays. We confirm the schedule for each booking.
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