The United States is among Pakistan’s largest trading partners. The United States has consistently been one of Pakistan’s largest sources of foreign direct investment. A large share of US foreign direct investment in Pakistan has gone into energy, agriculture, consumer durables, chemicals, transportation, and communications sectors. Regarding shipping from Pakistan to the US, you can choose either sea freight or air freight. This article covers the two realistic ways to ship from Pakistan to the US — sea freight and air freight — along with the documentation, ports, and current rules that affect both.
Importing into the US: what matters on this trade lane
Pakistan’s top exports to the US
Textiles dominate this trade lane and make up the majority of Pakistan’s exports to the US. Within that category, the largest items are:
- bed linens, towels and other household textiles
- knitted and crocheted sweaters and apparel
- cotton yarn and woven cotton fabric
- finished garments and other made-up textile articles
Outside textiles, the next-largest categories are leather goods, surgical and medical instruments (Pakistan has a long-established surgical instruments manufacturing cluster centred on Sialkot), rice, cement, steel products, and salt. If your business sources from Pakistan, there’s a good chance your product falls into one of these categories, which also means it’s worth checking the current US tariff schedule for your specific HTS code rather than assuming a flat rate.
Shipping from Pakistan to the US
Sea freight from Pakistan to the US
Ocean freight remains the default option for anyone shipping meaningful volume, mainly because of the price difference. Sea freight is roughly an order of magnitude cheaper than air for the same cargo, although it is correspondingly much slower.
You can ship either LCL or FCL depending on your volume; LCL makes sense for smaller, less time-sensitive shipments, while FCL is more economical once you’re filling a meaningful share of a container.
How long does it take to ship from Pakistan to the US by sea?
Expect somewhere between 35 and 50 days door to door, depending on the destination port and the routing your carrier uses. Shipments to the US East Coast typically transit the Suez Canal, while West Coast-bound cargo often routes through the Indian Ocean and across the Pacific, or via the Cape of Good Hope and the Panama Canal, depending on the carrier’s network.
Since the Red Sea disruptions that began in late 2023, Suez Canal transits have become less predictable than they used to be, so it’s worth asking your forwarder which routing applies to your specific booking rather than assuming a fixed number.
Major cargo seaports in Pakistan
- Port of Karachi is the country’s oldest and largest seaport, handling the bulk of Pakistan’s containerised cargo.
- Port Qasim, also known as Muhammad Bin Qasim Port, is Pakistan’s second-largest seaport by cargo volume and sits a short distance from Karachi.
- Lahore Dry Port functions as an inland customs and consolidation point rather than a seaport, useful for cargo originating in Punjab before it’s trucked to the coast.
Major cargo seaports in America
- The Port of Los Angeles is the busiest container port in the US and handled about 10.24 million TEUs.
- The Port of Long Beach, adjacent to Los Angeles, has closed much of the gap with Los Angeles in recent years, and the two together form the dominant West Coast gateway.
- The Port of New York and New Jersey is the busiest container port on the East Coast, handling roughly 7 to 9 million TEU annually depending on the year.
- The Port of Savannah has grown quickly and now ranks among the top five US ports by container volume, making it an increasingly common choice for cargo headed to the Southeast.
You can check other US ports here.
Air freight from Pakistan to the US
Air freight is the only realistic option if you need goods to arrive in days rather than weeks, and it’s the standard choice for perishables, high-value goods, or urgent restocks. There are no regular direct freighter services between Pakistan and the US, so most air cargo transits through a hub, often in the Gulf or Europe, which adds some time and an extra customs touchpoint compared with a true nonstop route.
How long does shipping by air from Pakistan to the US take?
Plan for about 4 to 8 days door to door, including pickup, consolidation, the connection through whichever hub your forwarder uses, and US customs clearance. The flight legs themselves are long, often 18 to 24 hours of total air time with a stop, so most of the variation comes from handling and the hub connection rather than the crossing.
Major cargo airports in Pakistan
- Jinnah International Airport in Karachi is Pakistan’s busiest airport for both passengers and cargo, reflecting Karachi’s role as the country’s commercial and industrial centre.
- Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore is Pakistan’s second-busiest airport and a major outlet for the textile-producing region around Lahore and Faisalabad.
- Islamabad International Airport, the country’s newest major airport, has modern cargo handling facilities but currently moves less freight than Karachi.
Major cargo airports in the US
- Memphis International Airport, FedEx’s global hub, is the busiest cargo airport in North America and currently the third-busiest in the world.
- Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport is a major trans-Pacific cargo hub because of its location on the Asia–North America great-circle route.
- Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, UPS’s main hub, is the third-largest cargo airport in North America.
- Miami International Airport is the country’s leading gateway for pharmaceutical and perishable cargo and a major hub for trade with Latin America.
How much does shipping from Pakistan to the US cost?
There is no single freight price, because rates move with capacity, fuel, season, and routing, and Cape of Good Hope diversions add both time and cost when they are in play. On top of freight, the duty picture above now has a much bigger effect on landed cost than it did before 2025, so budget the current tariff and any product-specific duties alongside the freight rate. Air freight is priced on the greater of actual or volumetric weight. The most reliable way to plan is to compare live quotes for your exact cargo, all-in from port to door.
Pakistan-US shipping: frequently asked questions
How long does shipping from Pakistan to the US take?
Sea freight takes roughly 35 to 50 days depending on the destination port and routing. Air freight takes about 2 to 4 days, including a connection through a transit hub.
What does Pakistan mainly export to the US?
Textiles, accounting for roughly three-quarters of the total: bed linens, sweaters, cotton yarn and fabric, and finished garments. Leather goods, surgical and medical instruments, rice, cement, and steel products make up most of the rest.
Is sea freight or air freight cheaper from Pakistan to the US?
Sea freight is significantly cheaper for any meaningful volume, but it takes around ten times longer than air. Air freight only makes economic sense for smaller, time-sensitive, or high-value shipments.
If you’d rather not track all of this yourself, request a free quote on ShipHub and compare offers from forwarders who already move cargo regularly on the Pakistan-US lane, including current guidance on tariffs and documentation for your specific product.
Summary in a nutshell
- Sea freight from Pakistan to the US takes about 35 to 50 days door to door; air freight about 4 to 8 days.
- Textiles dominate the lane, leaving mainly from Karachi and Port Qasim.
- The tariff picture is fluid, so verify the current rate for your HTS code and shipment date.
- Compare live quotes on ShipHub to find a reliable forwarder for this lane.
Connect with importers who are actively looking for freight solutions. ShipHub delivers qualified shipping inquiries every day, lets you focus on the routes and cargo types you want, and helps you win new customers without relying on costly advertising or cold outreach.