If you buy from China or other countries abroad, you cannot avoid international shipping. It can be challenging, especially in terms of pricing. We have broken down shipping costs from China to the US.
What are the shipping costs from China to the US?
Many factors influence shipping costs from China to the United States. Below are some of them.
Shipping mode
There are many shipping methods, and each is priced differently. When shipping from China to the US, the available options are sea freight and air freight.
- Sea freight is typically the most cost-effective method for large shipments. The downside is that it has a longer transit time, often taking several weeks.
- Air freight is faster than sea freight, as you can ship by air in days. However, it is the most expensive shipping mode and is ideal for smaller, high-value shipments.
Shipment weight and volume
Shipping costs depend on the weight and volume of your shipment. Generally, the bigger and heavier the shipment, the higher the shipping costs.
Customs duties and taxes
Goods sourced from China to the US are subject to customs duties and taxes. The Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) determines these values based on the goods’ HS code.
Shipping time
Express services are expected to be more expensive, but sometimes they are necessary, such as for time-sensitive loads.
Shipping rates and surcharges
Shipping rates are one thing, but there are also many surcharges, such as:
- fuel surcharges
- peak season surcharges
- security surcharges
- port fees
- etc.
If you factor them all in, the overall shipping is, of course, higher.
Current events that shape the shipping industry
Current events also influence shipping costs and transit times. Some of them are:
- Disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz: very high impact on freight rates and transit times; the most exposed lanes are Middle East–Europe, Asia, and the U.S.
- Cancellation of war risk cover / rising war risk premiums raises total transportation cost and increases schedule instability, especially on Gulf–Europe, Gulf–Asia, and Gulf–U.S. lanes.
- Rerouting via the Cape of Good Hope instead of Suez leads to higher operating costs and clearly longer transit times, especially on Asia–Europe and Middle East–Europe routes.
- Air cargo capacity squeeze: pushes up air freight rates and extends delivery times, especially on Asia–Europe corridors.
- Elevated blank sailings reduce slot availability, increase cargo rollover risk, and weaken delivery reliability, especially on Transpacific westbound & eastbound, and Asia–Europe services.
You should stay up to date with current events to proceed accordingly with your sourcing business and minimize losses.
Shipping costs from China to the US – updated March 2026
Here are the trends of shipping costs from China to the US and other directions:
- -4.4% on the China – West Coast of the US route
- -1.9% on the China – Europe route
- -1.6% on the China – East Coast of the US route
- -4.3% on the China – Southeast route
- 1.3% on the China – South America route
| Type | Route | Container or kg | Transit time (days) | Shipping cost |
| FCL Sea | Qingdao – Rotterdam | 40’DV | 40-50 | USD 2,200 – 2,400 |
| LCL Sea | Shenzhen – Gdansk | 200 kg | 45-55 | USD 150 – 200 |
| LCL Sea | Shanghai – Gdynia | 170 kg | 45-55 | USD 50 – 180 |
| Air | Changsha – Warsaw | 2500 kg | 3-4 | USD 7,600– 9,000 |
| FCL Rail | Beijing – Warsaw | 40’DV | 20-25 | USD 6,600 – 6,800 |
| LCL Rail | Shenzhen – Wroclaw | 300 kg | 15-20 | USD 1,700– 1,800 |
Don’t miss out and ship now before they rise again.
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