{"id":447,"date":"2026-10-26T05:36:38","date_gmt":"2026-10-26T05:36:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jieyilogistics.com\/?p=447"},"modified":"2026-11-04T05:55:37","modified_gmt":"2026-11-04T05:55:37","slug":"air-freight-vs-sea-freight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jieyilogistics.com\/de\/air-freight-vs-sea-freight\/","title":{"rendered":"Air Freight vs Sea Freight from China: Which Should You Choose?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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.<\/p>\n

Key points<\/strong>
\n\u2022 Air freight from China takes about 5\u201310 days door to door; sea freight takes about 25\u201360 days, depending on the destination and on LCL or FCL.
\n\u2022 Air is charged on chargeable weight (actual weight or L \u00d7 W \u00d7 H in cm \u00f7 6,000). Sea LCL is charged per CBM or tonne, and FCL per container.
\n\u2022 For light, bulky cartons, air freight can cost eight to ten times the sea freight for the same goods.
\n\u2022 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.
\n\u2022 Many importers split an order: a small part by air to start selling, the rest by sea.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Air Freight vs Sea Freight at a Glance<\/h2>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/th>\nLuftfracht<\/th>\nSea freight<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
How you pay<\/td>\nPer kg of chargeable weight (actual or volume weight, \u00f7 6,000)<\/td>\nLCL per CBM or tonne, whichever is greater; FCL per container<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Door to door from South China<\/td>\nAbout 5\u201310 days<\/td>\nUSA 25\u201345 days, Canada 25\u201345 days, UK and Germany 40\u201355 days; LCL about 5\u20137 days more<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Practical minimum<\/td>\nFrom about 100 kg (below that, express is often better)<\/td>\nLCL from about 1\u20132 CBM; FCL from about 15 CBM<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Best for<\/td>\nUrgent, high-value or light goods, launches, stock-outs<\/td>\nLarger and heavier orders, regular restocks, low-margin products<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Handling<\/td>\nFewer handling steps and less time in transit<\/td>\nLCL is handled at consolidation and unpacking; FCL is sealed from loading to delivery<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Batteries and dangerous goods<\/td>\nStrict rules and lower limits<\/td>\nUsually more options, with the right documents<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Carbon footprint<\/td>\nHighest per tonne<\/td>\nLowest per tonne<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

Air vs Sea Freight Prices from China<\/h2>\n

Typical rates for November 2026<\/strong>, from South China, for the main freight only. Destination charges, customs and delivery are added to both; a door-to-door quote includes them.<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Destination<\/th>\nAir freight per kg<\/th>\nSea LCL per CBM<\/th>\nSea 40ft container<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
USA<\/td>\n$6.8\u20138.5<\/td>\n$120\u2013150<\/td>\n$7,600\u20138,500 (West Coast)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Kanada<\/td>\n$6.5\u20138.5<\/td>\n$140\u2013190<\/td>\n$8,400\u20139,800 (Vancouver)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vereinigtes K\u00f6nigreich<\/td>\n$4.5\u20136.5<\/td>\n$60\u201390<\/td>\n$3,550\u20134,050<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Deutschland<\/td>\n$4.5\u20136.5<\/td>\nQuoted per shipment<\/td>\n$3,600\u20134,100 (Hamburg)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

Rates change every week, so use these to compare the two modes, not as a quote. See our air freight<\/a> and sea freight<\/a> pages for more detail, or ask for today\u2019s price<\/a>.<\/p>\n

One Shipment, Two Ways: A Worked Example<\/h2>\n

Take 30 cartons of 55 \u00d7 45 \u00d7 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<\/a>).<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/th>\nLuftfracht<\/th>\nSea freight LCL<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
What you are billed on<\/td>\nVolume weight 433 kg (more than the 270 kg actual weight)<\/td>\n2.6 CBM (more than 0.27 tonnes)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Freight<\/td>\n433 kg \u00d7 $6.8\u20138.5 per kg<\/td>\n2.6 CBM \u00d7 $120\u2013150 per CBM<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Door to door<\/td>\nAbout 5\u201310 days<\/td>\nAbout 30\u201350 days<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\n

Door-to-door time from South China to the US West Coast<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
Express<\/div>\n
3\u20137 days<\/div>\n
Luftfracht<\/div>\n
5\u201310 days<\/div>\n
Sea FCL<\/div>\n
25\u201335 days<\/div>\n
Sea LCL<\/div>\n
30\u201342 days<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Typical times; East Coast, inland US, the UK and Europe take longer by sea. See shipping time from China to the USA<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

When to Choose Air Freight<\/h2>\n