Air freight from China to the USA typically moves airport to airport in a few days, through hubs such as Shanghai Pudong and Hong Kong into gateways like Los Angeles, Chicago and New York, often with a stop in Anchorage. Spot prices are benchmarked by indexes such as the Freightos Air Index, which put China to North America at $5.60/kg in its October 6, 2026 update, before origin, destination and customs charges.
Key takeaways
- Most China to US air cargo leaves from big Chinese hubs such as Shanghai Pudong and Hong Kong, the two busiest cargo airports in the world in ACI's 2025 ranking.
- Many freighters stop in Anchorage, which ACI ranked third for cargo in 2025, before continuing to the lower 48 states.
- Index rates are airport-to-airport benchmarks that change weekly; the Freightos Air Index read $5.60/kg on October 6, 2026 and rose 3% the following week.
- ISF filing applies to ocean cargo, not air; for air, carriers send ACAS data to CBP before loading, and duty-free de minimis treatment is suspended.
- Your bill is driven by chargeable weight, so carton size matters as much as gross weight.
Which airports handle air freight from China to the USA?
Most cargo flies from a handful of large Chinese hubs into major US gateways, often with a technical stop in Anchorage.
On the Chinese side, the biggest origins are Shanghai Pudong (PVG) and Hong Kong (HKG). ACI World's 2025 ranking placed them first and second among the world's cargo airports. Guangzhou (CAN), Shenzhen (SZX) and Chengdu (CTU) are other common origins, especially for factories in southern and western China. Goods made far from a hub are usually trucked to one of these airports.
On the US side, cargo commonly lands at Los Angeles (LAX), Chicago O'Hare (ORD), New York JFK, Miami (MIA) and Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), then moves on by truck. Anchorage (ANC) is the hidden piece of the network: ACI ranked it third in the world for cargo in 2025. The Alaska Department of Transportation describes the airport as within 9.5 hours of 90% of the industrialized world, which is why many transpacific freighters stop there to refuel or swap cargo before continuing.
Freighter or passenger belly: which carries your cargo?
Both do, and the difference matters for size limits, schedules and price.
- Dedicated freighters carry the bulk of the volume on this lane. They take tall pallets and heavy pieces, accept more dangerous goods, and fly cargo-friendly schedules, usually via Anchorage.
- Passenger aircraft bellies carry cargo under the cabin. Capacity is smaller and pieces must fit lower-deck containers, but nonstop passenger flights can be fast for small, urgent shipments.
- Express integrators run their own networks for parcels and small consignments, with door-to-door pricing that suits shipments well under a pallet.
Demand on the corridor is strong. IATA's August 2026 air cargo release reported Asia to North America traffic up 13.2% year on year, the seventh consecutive month of growth. Freightos' October 13, 2026 update noted freighter capacity shifting toward what it called the "AI-fueled transpacific," as data center components fill aircraft.
How long does air freight from China to the USA take?
Airport to airport, it typically takes a few days; door to door, commonly about a week.
The flight itself is the short part. Time goes into pickup and trucking to the origin airport, export clearance, waiting for space on a flight, any connection or stop, US customs clearance and final delivery. Late-year peak season, Chinese holidays such as Lunar New Year and Golden Week, and CBP inspections can all add days. See how long air freight takes for a stage-by-stage breakdown, and treat any transit time as an estimate, not a guarantee.
How much does air freight from China to the USA cost?
Use published indexes as a guide, then get a quote for your exact cargo, because index rates leave out most of the charges you will pay.
The Freightos update of October 6, 2026 said the Freightos Air Index showed Far East/China to North America rates cooling more than 15% in a week to $5.60/kg as demand eased over Golden Week. The October 13, 2026 update then reported China to North America prices up 3% week on week. Other benchmarks, such as the TAC Index for Hong Kong to North America, track the same market from different data.
An index rate is an airport-to-airport spot benchmark. A real invoice usually adds origin pickup and handling, export clearance, security screening, fuel and other surcharges, destination handling, customs brokerage, duties and delivery.
Your billable weight is the bigger of actual and volumetric weight. A hypothetical example: 10 cartons of 60 × 40 × 40 cm weighing 12 kg each total 120 kg actual. At the common 6,000 cm³/kg divisor, each carton has a volumetric weight of 16 kg, so you pay for 160 kg. At the October 6 index level that is about $896 for the air leg alone, before any other charges. Run your own cartons through the chargeable weight and air freight cost calculator, and see is air freight expensive? for what drives the rest of the bill.
What US customs rules apply to air cargo from China?
Advance data goes to CBP before the flight, every shipment needs proper entry, and duties depend on what the goods are and where they were made.
- ACAS, not ISF. CBP's Air Cargo Advance Screening page says carriers submit a subset of pre-arrival air cargo data "prior to loading the cargo onto aircraft destined to or transiting through the United States." The Importer Security Filing (10+2) rule applies to cargo arriving by vessel, so it does not apply to air shipments.
- Section 301 and other duties. Many Chinese-origin products carry additional duties under Section 301, and the list of actions, reviews and exclusions has kept changing through 2026. Check the USTR Section 301 tariff actions page and the Harmonized Tariff Schedule with your customs broker before you price a product.
- No duty-free de minimis. The US has suspended duty-free de minimis treatment, so low-value shipments that once entered free now need formal handling and duties. Our guide to de minimis rules for cross-border e-commerce explains what changed.
Which documents do you need?
A clean commercial invoice, packing list and air waybill cover most shipments; regulated goods need more.
- Commercial invoice with an accurate description, value, country of origin and HTS code.
- Packing list with carton counts, dimensions and weights that match the invoice.
- Air waybill, often a house and a master AWB for consolidated freight (see the air waybill explained).
- Customs bond and broker authorization for the US importer of record.
- Dangerous goods paperwork for batteries and other regulated items; our lithium battery guide covers the most common case.
Once the AWB number is issued, you can follow the shipment on the AWB tracking page.
Should you ship from China to the USA by air or ocean?
Fly urgent, light, high-value stock; ship heavy, bulky and predictable volume by sea.
| Factor | Air freight | Ocean freight |
|---|---|---|
| Typical transit | A few days airport to airport | Commonly weeks port to port, plus clearance and drayage |
| Benchmark rate (Freightos update, October 6, 2026) | Freightos Air Index China to North America: $5.60/kg | FBX Asia to US West Coast: $8,322 per 40-foot container |
| Pricing basis | Per kg of chargeable weight | Per container (FCL) or per cubic meter (LCL) |
| Advance filing | ACAS data before loading | ISF (10+2) before lading |
| Best for | Launch stock, stock-outs, electronics, samples | Steady replenishment, heavy and low-value goods |
Many importers split orders, flying the first batch and sending the rest by sea. Our air freight vs sea freight comparison walks through the trade-offs, and Amazon sellers can follow shipping inventory to Amazon FBA by air. For time-sensitive e-commerce and express moves, Jumbo Air Cargo arranges air freight through partners under its e-commerce and express service; ask for a quote on your specific lane.
Frequently asked questions
How long does air freight from China to the USA take?
Airport to airport, it typically takes a few days on direct or one-stop routings, and door to door commonly about a week once pickup, export clearance, US customs and delivery are added. Peak seasons, connections and inspections can extend that.
How much does air freight from China to the USA cost per kg?
There is no single price. The Freightos Air Index put China to North America at $5.60/kg in its October 6, 2026 update, and reported a 3% rise the next week, but that is an airport-to-airport spot benchmark, not an all-in quote.
Do I need an ISF for air freight from China?
No. CBP's Importer Security Filing rule applies to cargo arriving by vessel. Air shipments instead fall under Air Cargo Advance Screening (ACAS), where data is sent to CBP before the cargo is loaded.
Do Section 301 tariffs apply to goods shipped by air?
Yes. Duties depend on the product's origin and classification, not the transport mode, so Chinese-origin goods face the same Section 301 and other duties whether they fly or sail.
Sources
- Freightos: Premier Alliance joins Red Sea return, October 6, 2026 Update
- Freightos: Attacks disrupt Saudi air cargo; China-Europe air rates slump, October 13, 2026 Update
- ACI World: World's busiest airports revealed in latest global rankings (April 14, 2026)
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection: Air Cargo Advance Screening (ACAS)
- USTR: Section 301 China tariff actions and exclusion process
