How Much Does Shipping from China to the USA Cost in 2025?

Feeling stressed about shipping costs from China to the USA¹? Past price spikes and tariff talks make budgeting hard. But 2025 looks much more stable and affordable for your business.

In 2025, shipping from China to the USA is stabilizing. Expect sea freight² for a full container (FCL) to be $2,000–$4,500. Less-than-container (LCL) costs around $300–$500 per CBM. Air freight ranges from $4–$8 per kg, depending on various factors we will explore.

The crazy shipping prices of the pandemic are finally gone. I remember clients paying over $20,000 for a single container. It was a stressful time for everyone. Now, things are back to a predictable normal. We have served over 10,000 Amazon sellers, helping them navigate these exact changes. Even with political talk about new tariffs³, our clients are not leaving the Chinese market. In fact, many are coming to the Canton Fair⁴ to find even more suppliers. This shows their confidence in China's strong supply chain. But what exactly determines the final price you pay? Let's look at the details.

What Factors Affect China–US Freight Rates?

Confused why your shipping quotes are always different? Surcharges and hidden costs can eat into your profits. I'll show you the main factors that control your final freight bill.

The main factors affecting China-US freight rates are shipping method⁵ (sea/air), cargo weight and volume⁶, origin and destination ports, and seasonality⁷. Incoterms⁸, fuel surcharges⁹ (BAF), and currency exchange rates also play a significant role in your final cost.

Getting a handle on these factors is key to managing your budget. It's not just about the base rate quoted by a carrier. You have to consider the total cost from the factory door to your US warehouse. A lot of our clients get worried about tariffs³ from the US-China trade war. This is a real concern, but it's important to separate tariffs³ (a tax on the goods) from freight (the cost of transport). The good news is that the freight cost itself has become much more predictable. Even with political noise, the underlying logistics network remains strong and efficient.

The Incoterms⁸ you agree on with your supplier have a huge impact. If you buy on EXW (Ex Works) terms, you are responsible for all costs from the factory. If you use FOB (Free On Board), the supplier pays to get the goods to the origin port. Understanding this difference is critical for accurate quoting. Here’s a simple breakdown of the main cost drivers:

How Do Pallet Size and Weight Influence Shipping Cost?

Paying too much for your pallet shipments¹¹? Incorrect dimensions can lead to unexpected overage fees from carriers. Let's look at how to optimize your pallets and save money.

Carriers charge based on "chargeable weight¹⁰," which is the greater of the actual weight and the volumetric (or dimensional) weight. For sea freight² LCL, this is measured in Cubic Meters (CBM). For air freight¹², the formula is usually (L x W x H in cm) / 6000.

Understanding chargeable weight¹⁰ is one of the most important lessons in logistics. I've seen clients get hit with high costs because their products were light but very bulky. For example, a large box of foam pillows might only weigh 10 kg, but its volumetric weight could be 30 kg. The airline will charge you for 30 kg, not 10 kg. This is why smart packaging is so important. We always advise our clients to use compact packaging and stack pallets efficiently to reduce any unused space. This simple step minimizes the CBM for sea freight² and the volumetric weight for air freight¹². A small change in carton size can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars on a single shipment.

Let's look at a real example. Imagine you have 100 cartons to ship. Each carton is 50cm x 40cm x 30cm and weighs 8 kg.

• Actual Weight: 100 cartons x 8 kg/carton = 800 kg.
• Volumetric Weight (Air): (50 x 40 x 30) x 100 cartons / 6000 = 1,000 kg. In this case, you would be charged for 1,000 kg for air freight¹², not 800 kg. For sea freight², the calculation is about volume.
• Total Volume (Sea): (0.5m x 0.4m x 0.3m) x 100 cartons = 6 CBM. You would pay the LCL rate based on 6 CBM.

When Is Air Freight Cheaper Than Sea Freight?

Think sea freight² is always the cheapest way to ship? This common belief can actually cost you more on small shipments. Let's find out when flying your goods is cheaper.

Air freight can be cheaper than sea freight² for small, lightweight shipments, typically under 150-200 kg. This is because sea freight² has high fixed costs¹³ for documentation and port handling, which make very small LCL shipments uneconomical. Air freight has lower minimum charges.

This surprises many of our new clients. They see a low per-CBM rate for LCL sea freight² and assume it's the best deal. But for a very small shipment, like 50 kg or 0.5 CBM, the fixed costs¹³ kill the deal. For any LCL shipment, you have to pay for terminal handling, documentation, customs clearance, and warehouse fees at both the origin and destination ports. These fixed costs¹³ can easily add up to $300-$500 before the ocean freight is even included. For a tiny shipment, these fees make the total cost higher than air freight¹². Air freight has fewer fixed fees and a lower minimum billable weight, making it the winner for small quantities.

Beyond cost, think about speed. For high-value electronics, seasonal fashion, or urgent restocks for your Amazon store, getting your product to market 30 days faster is a huge advantage. The extra air freight¹² cost is an investment in sales. This is part of why China's supply chain is so powerful and flexible. We had a few clients look at sourcing from other countries like Vietnam or Brazil. They found that while product costs were sometimes similar, the shipping was a big problem. One client told me his sea freight² quote from Vietnam was 15% more expensive and took an extra week because there were fewer ships available. The mature, high-volume logistics infrastructure¹⁴ in China gives you reliable and cost-effective options for any shipment size.

Conclusion

Shipping from China in 2025 is affordable and stable. By understanding freight factors and choosing the right method for your shipment's size, you can effectively manage your supply chain costs.