The Shipping time from China to us depends on various factors, such as shipping methods, product category, product packaging method, charge weight, China pick-up address, and U.S. destination address.
This article will explain the average shipping time from china to US for each shipping method and tips to save transit time. Let’s get started!
Below is the Average shipping time for different shipping methods for your reference
Shipment Type Shipping Method Efficiency
Documents / Small packages of Chargeweight 1-20KG Express Freight Fastest
Small shipments of charge weight 21kg-100KG Express Freight Fastest
101kg-300KG Express Freight Fastest
Air Freight Fast
301KG -1000KG Air Freight Fast
Ocean + Express (DDP method) Little long time but very cheap
1001 KG to Several Tons Air Freight Fast
Ocean + Express (Door to Door) Little long time but very cheap
Ocean freight ( Door to port) Little long time but very cheap
10-12 tons or more Ocean + Express (Door to door) Little long time but very cheap
Ocean+ Express (Door to door ) Little long time but very cheap
Since it is just the estimated shipping time from China to US, so you should get the real-time shipping time for each shipment by sending us an Inquiry directly.
Express Shipping time from China to us
The common Express courier companies that ship from china to US include FedEx, DHL, UPS, and SF express. Express shipping with super high efficiency. If your shipment is urgent, Express shipping is the top choice.
Even though Express is the fastest shipping method from China to US, different Couriers provide slightly different shipping schedules. And, of course, the cost is a little different.
Express Cost level Time Requited
(from 1-10) (business days)
DHL 7 2-4 business days
(Good timing)
FedEX IP 6.5 3-4 business days
(Timing not good as DHL may delay)
FedEx IE 5 4-7 business days
(Balance on cost and time, always delay)
UPS Express 7.5 3-4 business days
(Expensive)
UPS Saver 6.5 5-8 business days
(Balance on cost and time,always delay)
SF-express 5 5-7 business days
(Newbie, sometimes delay)
DHL shipping time from china to US
DHL shipping time from China to the USA takes 2-4days. DHL express from China to the USA has been the top recommended shipping method in recent years. Since it is time controlled shipping method and can be the fastest express shipping option from China to the US.
FedEx shipping time from china to us
FedEx shipping from China to us with 2 different services for your option. That is FEDEX’s international priority service and FEDEX’s international economy service. Check here FEDEX international priority VS. Economy to learn the difference. And here to check the FedEx delivery times & hours from China to the USA.
Shipping time from china to US FedEx is based on your chosen service.FedEx International Priority(FEDEX IP) shipping time from china to us takes 2-4days, and its time is equal to DHL, while the disadvantage is the airplane from China to us is not as many as DHL. So it may be spent serval days for holding to fly if you choose FEDEX.
FedEx International Economy(FEDEX IE) shipping time from china to us takes 4-7working days. Although FEDEX IE time is a little longer than others, it is much lower in the shipping price compared with other express couriers
ups shipping time from china to us
USPS shipping time from china to us usually takes 3-4 business days for the UPS worldwide express service and 4-7 business days for the UPS worldwide saver service.
SF Express
SF Express shipping time from China to us also takes 4-7 business days. It is the price in the middle range. The advantage of choosing SF express to ship from China to us is that SF EXPRESS is the top 1 China domestic express freight company. it can help to collect in a shorter time from China suppliers’ factories and then ship out quickly once finished collecting.
Air freight shipping time from China to us-How long
The Second fast shipping method from China to us is Air freight. Air freight shipping time from China to us takes only 5-8 business days for the entire shipping process. The total time combined with
Pickup time: from China Supplier’s factory to the shipping agent’s warehouse
Customs clean time: this is China export customs clean time.
International Flight time: From China airport to USA destination port.
Import customs clean: In USA destination airport, the import customs clean takes 1-2days.
Final mile Delivery time: This depends on whether the final address in USA is the common registrational address or the Remote address. This part takes 2-3days.
Let’s break down the air freight time from China to us in a timetable to show you all details:
Destination in USA Original China Address China Supplier factory to agent's warehouse Export Cargo loading and Customs clean in China Fly time from Airport to Airport Import Customs clean in USA Average Time
West USA (LA/Seattle/ Altanta) Guangzhou 0.5-2days 1-2days 1-1.5days 0.5-2days 4-5 days
Qingdao 0.5-2days 1-2days 1-1.5days 0.5-2days
Shenzhen 0.5-2days 1-2days 1-1.5days 0.5-2days
East USA (Houston/ Denver/ New York) Xiamen 0.5-2days 1-2days 1-2days 0.5-2days 5-7 days
Shenzhen 0.5-2days 1-2days 1-2days 0.5-2days
Wuhan 0.5-2days 1-2days 1-2days 0.5-2days
Middle USA (Chicago) Beijing 0.5-2days 1-2days 2-3days 0.5-2days 4-8 days
Shen Zhen 0.5-2days 1-2days 2-3days 0.5-2days
How long Sea freight shipping time from China to us
Same as air freight, Container shipping time from china to the US is based on the Export sea port in China you choose and the destination port in the USA that you need to ship to. Check here below to see every step of arranging container shipping from China to the USA.
Things you should do before choosing Sea Freight
1. Chargeweight or CBM of your shipments need to deliver from China. If it is less than 15CBM, then you can choose LCL ocean freight shipping. If the CBM more than 15CBM, then we can choose FCL ocean freight as a better save shipping cost Option.
2. Searching online from 2-3 shipping agents or 3PL logistic companies to get the logistics costs in USA, Such as the Terminal handling fees(For LCL shipments), Customs clearance fees, Import taxes costs, and Delivery costs from the seaport to final address in USA.
3. Searching online to get quotations from 2-3 China’s best freight forwarders. They will quote you based on your estimated shipment information, such as the Drayage costs, THC fees, Documents costs, Customs clean costs, and other local charges that may happen before containers loading on Vessels.
4. Before checking the China Export seaport Charges, you need to tell your China freight forwarder which Incoterms you deal with your suppliers. Because the incoterms will influence your Shipping quotation and the Suppliers’ price list.
For Example, if you deal with your supplier in FOB price, your supplier must pay all the costs before the container loading on the ship. If you deal with your supplier in EXW terms, then your supplier’s delivery to you within their factory means they finished all their task. And all the next steps and costs should be undertaken by your side.
Reading more about different Incoterms
FOB, EXW, DDP, CIF how to choose the best one?
5. When everything is confirmed, it is time for you to decide on the best option and send let your freight forwarders to Booking Ocean freight for you. (Ocean freight booking time should be 10-15days before your products ready to ship. That helps you to get good enough shipping space from the carrier company.)
Sea freight from China to USA procedure Step by Step:
Booking space from China Freight forwarder
China freight forwarder Pickup goods from Factory to the seaport.
Export customs declaration and customs clearance.
ISF applies for shipment from China to the US. Buy Cargo insurance at the same time.
Shipment on Board and shipping from China to the USA.
Import customs clearance in US and destination port handling. If the customs department inspects the shipment, it will take several days or more to wait at the port before you can pick it up.
Final mile delivery from Seaport to the destination door place.
Here is the current shipping time from china to u.s. by sea, which is port-to-port, just for your reference to have an estimated shipping time from china to us to help you make the right decision to arrange the shipment.
The Ocean freight time from China to us timetable
China Port USA Port Average Sail Time
Guangzhou Los Angeles/ Long Beach/ Seattle/Oakland/ Sanfrancisco 14-20 days
Ningbo 15-22 days
Qingdao 18-25 days
Shenzhen 14-20 days
Shang hai 16-25 days
Tianjing 18-23 days
Xiamen 14-25 days
Guangzhou Miami/Houston/ New York/ Charleston 25-30 days
Ningbo 27-33 days
Qingdao 28-35 days
Shenzhen 25-30 days
Shang hai 27-33 days
Tianjing 27-35 days
Xiamen 26-33 days
Air freight/Sea freight Combined with Express shipping time
Air freight or Sea Freight + Express freight combines the door-to-door shipping methods from China to the US. These are the best choices for E-commerce sellers. eBay, Amazon, or other E-commerce sellers buy from China and sell within the US market.
The Air freight/Ocean freight combined with the Express options shipping process is: Shipping from China to the USA. Choose Air or sea freight. After the goods arrive at the us port, the Freight forwarder will help with customs clearance and pay the taxes. When all is set well, packages are delivered to the final address by Express, an Amazon warehouse, or a common address.
Shipping costs for Air freight combined with Express
Air + UPS/FEDEX combined shipping costs are lower than Express freight and higher than Air freight. While the advantage is it is a door-to-door, including taxes prepaid shipping method, for businesses that don’t want to do the customs clearance themselves or without the import licenses. The Combined Door to door shipping services by air freight and ocean freight are both good solutions.
Freight costs of Ocean freight combined with Express
Ocean + UPS/FEDEX combined shipping costs are slightly higher than traditional container load shipping methods and much lower than UPS or FedEx Courier directly. The advantage is they are door-to-door and do not need you to do customs cleaning, and you do not need to pay taxes. We handle it all for you.
Air shipment + UPS/FedEx Shipping time
Takes only 5-10 days for the entire shipping process. UPS and FedEx will deliver it after the goods finish customs cleaning in the US. Depends on which one is faster when your goods are finished and paid the duties.
Ocean shipping + UPS & FEDEX Shipping time
Ocean shipping combined with UPS/ FEDEX express shipping options is the top recommended door-to-door service for all the E-commerce sellers in the USA. Because it with Fast, Middle, and Slow sea shipping options.
Fast Sea shipping time from China to us takes only 12-15days+ UPS/FEDEX Express delivery time in the USA the entire process takes only 20-25days and can arrive at your door from a China supplier factory.
Slow Ocean shipping time from China to us + UPS/ FEDEX delivery time in the USA. The entire process needs only around 30-40days. At the same time, it is cost only 1.2USD/KG – 3,5USD/KG based on the charge weight. We also call this the cheapest shipping option for E-commerce sellers.
Factors impacting the shipping time from China to US
Nowadays, ship cargo delays seem to happen frequently. So if you know the Factors impacting the shipping time from China to us, you will get a better plan in advance to avoid the loss because of your shipping delays. Below are the 9 Factors why China shipment delays.
Inclement Weather
Port congestion in China
Strikes by workers
Customs inspections
Increasing demands for goods
Storage of skilled labor
Lockdowns in China
Chinese Holidays
Supply chains impact by Coronavirus
All of the 9 factors can cause your shipment to be delayed from China. So it is necessary for you to check and make a plan in advance before shipping. Below welcome to have a check of the Strategies to avoid shipment delays.
Tips to avoid shipping from China to us delays.
1. Cooperating with experienced china suppliers only. Most of them can deliver on time for your bulk shipments.
2. Search and compare with at least 2-3 shipping agents before deciding.
3. Cooperating with an Experienced freight forwarding company only. As they can make your shipment arrives safely by providing the right shipping method all the time, Not matter LCL shipping, Air shipping, or shipping containers from China, A reliable and experienced shipping company will not let you down. What’s important is they provide competitive shipping prices for your cargo.
4. Don’t ship in peak season. In the peak shipping season, the shipping time is longer than typical days. Even if you cooperate with an experienced shipping agent, they can’t control shipment delays at peak season but can save shipping costs.
5. Don’t arrange shipment during Chinese Holidays. Because of the holidays, all Chinese went on holiday and closed. Your shipment can only wait until they get back to work.
Festival Name Holiday Date Off working time
New Year Holiday 1st January 3days
Chinese Spring Festival End of January to February 14 days or More
Qingming Festival Early April 1 day
Labor Day 1st - 5th of May 3-5 days
Dragon Boat Festival Early of June 3 days
Mid-Autumn Festival Early October or September 3 days
China’s National Day 1st -7th October 7 days
Conclusion
Typical shipping times from China to us are as per the listed timetable above, But you know it is affected by different factors now and then. So you should send us an inquiry to get the estimated shipping time when your shipments are ready.
As the leading shipping company in China, shipping goods from China safely& high efficiency and providing the best shipping service at competitive prices to our clients is always our mission. If you need help choosing shipping modes, want to find what is the cheapest way to ship from China, or want to find a good freight forwarder to handle your full container load or LCL shipping, Contact us any time. We have provided these kinds of services since 2009.
FAQs :
How long does it take from china to USA by ship?
sea freight time from China to us takes 14-18days from China to West coast and 25-28days from China to the east coast. This is only the estimated sail time on board. For the average time of the entire container, shipping needs to add 10-15days for the customs clean, local transportation, and pick up in both countries.
How long does it need to receive a package from china USPS 2022?
It takes around 5-7 business days if all goes smoothly with the customs clearance and local transportation.
What is the fastest shipping time from China to the USA?
So far, DHL carrier is the fastest shipping method. From China to us, DHL takes only 2-4 business days.
What is China’s fastest shipping?
The fastest shipping method from China to us is DHL It takes only 2-4 business days, but it is costly. If you want economical shipping routes and fast shipping time from Chin to USA, Then air shipping combined with Express is a good option.
What is the most common shipping route from China to the USA?
All the shipping routes listed above in this article are common routes from China to the USA. But for recent years, as E-commerce has improved, Air/Sea shipping combine with Express (Door to door Delivery) has become the most common shipping route from China to the USA
how long it takes to ship from china to USA FedEx?
FedEx IP takes 2-4 business days, and FedEx IE takes 4-7 working days from China to usa if without holding to fly at the FEDEX warehouse. While recently, shipping from China to the USA by FEDEX needs to hold like 3-7days and then fly out because the FedEx flight from China to the USA is not as many as before. So for urgent shipments, choose DHL as the first option.
Is DHL or FEDEX faster from china?
In the past years, FEDEX has been the first option. While recent years DHL has been the first option because DHL, with enough flights to fly from China to the USA every day, does not need to hold fly, while FedEx lets their clients’ packages be held at their warehouse because of waiting for flights now and then. So DHL is the first option for your urgent shipment from China to the USA.
How fast is UPS express from China?
As per the above timetable, UPS worldwide express takes 3-4woking days, and UPS worldwide saver takes 4-7working days from China to the USA.
How long does FedEx international priority take from China to US?
FedEx international priority takes only 2-4 business days from China to us if there is no need to wait for a flight. But if your parcel needs to wait for a flight, the time is not stable times takes 5-7days. It depends.
Welcome to send us an inquiry to check the real-time updates on shipping time for different shipping methods from China to the USA since 2009 till now.
