GUIDE · WHICH MODE

Sea / Air / Sea+Truck / Air+Truck — how do you choose?

In one line: bulky stocking goes by sea, urgent/valuable goes by air, furniture goes Sea+Truck, student luggage / mid-volume e-commerce goes Air+Truck. All four can ship DDP door-to-door. Below is a comparison table plus the logic to match your cargo.

Sea cheapestAir fastestSea+Truck for furnitureAir+Truck beats couriersAll DDP prepaidQuote in 5 min

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Remember this first

Choosing a mode is essentially a trade-off between speed and cost, matched to your cargo. Faster costs more (air); slower costs less (sea). Sea+Truck and Air+Truck are the middle options that bundle transit with door delivery by truck. Below is who each one suits.

Who each mode suits

Sea (FCL / LCL)

Cheapest. Best for furniture, appliances, bulky goods, stocking; even one or two furniture pieces can go LCL

Sea + Truck

Same transit as sea, but the truck delivers to your door after port arrival. Best for furniture and bulk e-commerce replenishment

Air (from 12 KG)

Fastest, 7–12 days. Best for cosmetics, electronics, urgent or valuable small batches; slots even in peak season

Air + Truck

Cheaper than couriers (DHL/UPS), faster than sea. Best for student luggage and mid-volume e-commerce

Choosing by scenario

Moving / stocking / furniture

Large volume, not urgent → Sea or Sea+Truck, cheapest

Urgent / valuable / small batch

Cosmetics, electronics, gifts, documents → Air

Student luggage

Mid volume, want it fast and duty-prepaid to the dorm → Air+Truck

Mid-volume e-commerce / FBA

Balance speed and cost → Sea+Truck or Air+Truck

How volumetric weight works (where people overpay)

Freight is charged on chargeable weight — the greater of actual weight and volumetric weight. Sea volumetric KG = L×W×H (cm) / 6000; air uses / 5000 or / 6000 depending on lane. So large-but-light cargo (bedding, foam-heavy packaging) is usually billed by volume — compressing the volume when packing saves money. A photo-based quote is most accurate.

All four ship DDP (duties prepaid)

Whichever you pick, it is DDP throughout: export clearance + import customs + duties + truck to the door, all included. The recipient just signs — no customs chasing extra tax on arrival.

The four modes compared

Transit is door-to-door reference; actuals depend on the current flight / sailing / port / customs.

Mode	Reference transit	Relative cost	Best for
Sea (FCL/LCL)	US/CA 25–30d / UK 30–35d / EU 35–45d	Lowest	Furniture, appliances, bulky, stocking
Sea + Truck	Sea range + last-mile truck	Low	Furniture, bulk e-commerce replenishment
Air (from 12KG)	7–12 days	High	Urgent, valuable, cosmetics, electronics
Air + Truck	Air + 2–4 days truck	Mid-high	Student luggage, mid-volume e-commerce

· Peak season (Nov–Dec, Christmas/NY) typically adds 3–7 days.
· All are DDP door-to-door — the recipient just signs.

FAQ

01 Sea or air — which is more economical for shipping abroad?

It depends on time and cargo. Large, non-urgent bulky stocking (furniture, appliances) is cheapest by sea, 25–45 days door-to-door; urgent, valuable, small batches (cosmetics, electronics) are fastest by air, 7–12 days. Both ship DDP door-to-door.

02 What do "Sea+Truck" and "Air+Truck" mean?

Sea+Truck = sea freight to port, then local truck to the recipient's door — good for furniture and bulk e-commerce. Air+Truck = air express plus destination trucking — cheaper than couriers, faster than sea — good for student luggage and mid-volume e-commerce.

03 Is there a minimum for sea freight?

No. Sea LCL accepts even one or two furniture pieces; air has a 12 KG minimum; Taobao consolidation has no minimum count.

04 Is freight charged by weight or volume?

By chargeable weight — the greater of actual weight and volumetric weight. Sea volumetric KG = L×W×H (cm) / 6000; air uses / 5000 or / 6000. Large-but-light cargo is usually billed by volume, so compressing the packing saves money.

05 Can all four modes be duty-prepaid to the door?

Yes. Sea, Sea+Truck, Air, and Air+Truck all ship DDP: export clearance, import customs, duties, and truck delivery included — the recipient just signs, no further charges.

06 What if I am not sure which mode to use?

Add WeChat (anitaleung8888) and send a photo of the goods + dimensions / weight + destination city. I will recommend the best mode for your cargo and timing and quote within 5 minutes.

Not sure which mode? Send it over

WeChat me a photo of your goods and the destination city — I will pick the best mode and quote in 5 minutes.

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Related references

See the country lane pages for specific transit times.