Express vs Air Freight vs Sea Freight from China: Which to Choose?

Choosing between express courier, air freight, and sea freight from China depends on your timeline, budget, and cargo size. Each mode serves a different import scenario.

Quick Comparison

• Express (DHL/FedEx/UPS): 3–5 days, best for samples and parcels under 30 kg, highest cost per kg
• Air freight: 5–10 days door to door, ideal for 100–5000 kg, urgent inventory restocks
• Sea freight (LCL/FCL): 25–40 days, lowest cost per CBM, best for bulk and planned orders

When to Use Each Mode

Express courier — Product samples, documents, small test orders. See our sample shipping guide.

Air freight — Seasonal launches, stockouts, high-value/low-volume goods, or when sea transit would miss a sales window. Read our air freight guide.

Sea freight — Regular restocking, wholesale orders, FBA inventory, anything above 1 CBM where cost matters more than speed.

Cost Crossover Point

Generally, sea freight becomes cheaper than air above 0.5–1 CBM for standard goods. Express is rarely economical above 20–30 kg. GSC quotes all three modes so you can compare for your specific shipment.

For hybrid options, see multimodal sea-air shipping.