Sea vs air freight: which is right for you

Choosing between sea and air freight is one of the most important decisions when importing from China. Both have clear strengths — the right choice depends on weight, volume, time budget, and budget.

Cost

Sea freight is usually significantly cheaper per volume unit. Air freight makes sense for small, high-value, or urgent goods. As weight grows, the price advantage of sea freight grows considerably.

Transit time

Air freight is much faster — often days instead of weeks. Sea freight takes considerably longer. When speed matters and you ship a small, valuable item, air freight can make sense.

• Weight, volume, and value of the goods
• Urgency of the need
• Possibility of combining several orders

Volume & consolidation

For large, dense cargo, sea freight is ideal. With multiple orders, consolidation can be combined with sea or rail freight to optimise cost and time.