Air Freight from China to U.S. Amazon FBA

How an air shipment moves from China to Amazon

Your supplier delivers cartons to our warehouse in China, or we arrange pickup from the factory. We check carton count, dimensions, gross weight and FBA labels against your shipment plan, then prepare the export declaration and book space on a scheduled flight to a U.S. airport.

After landing, the cargo clears U.S. Customs and is handed to truck or courier delivery depending on the service you chose. For Air Truck, we book the delivery appointment at each Amazon fulfillment center on your plan; for Airfreight Courier, cartons travel through the courier network with tracking until delivery. You can follow each milestone in your account after booking.

When air freight is the right choice

Air freight costs more per kilogram than ocean, but it can protect revenue that would otherwise be lost to a stockout. Amazon sellers typically choose air when a best-selling ASIN is about to run out, when launching or testing a new product, or when inventory must reach fulfillment centers before a peak season cutoff such as Prime Day or Q4.

Many sellers combine both modes: a smaller air shipment covers the gap while the main replenishment travels by sea.

• Stockout rescue for fast-moving ASINs
• New product launches and sample testing
• Peak season deadlines and inventory top-ups
• High-value, lightweight goods where speed outweighs freight cost

Air truck vs. airfreight courier

Air Truck flies your cartons to a U.S. airport and delivers them by dedicated truck to Amazon fulfillment centers or commercial addresses. It suits larger and heavier shipments, because truck delivery keeps last-mile cost per kilogram low.

Airfreight Courier flies your cartons and hands them to an express courier network for final delivery. It suits smaller, time-sensitive shipments and gives wider coverage for residential and remote addresses.

How chargeable weight is calculated

Air services are priced by chargeable weight: the greater of the actual gross weight and the volumetric weight of your cartons. Light but bulky goods are billed on the space they occupy in the aircraft, so compact packaging directly reduces your freight cost. The online booking tool calculates chargeable weight from the carton dimensions and per-carton gross weight you enter and shows the total before you confirm.

Batteries, magnets and other restricted goods

Air cargo is subject to stricter safety rules than ocean. Products with built-in or packed lithium batteries, magnets, liquids, powders or aerosols may require additional documents, testing reports or a specific routing, and some items cannot fly at all. Tell us about these characteristics before booking so we can confirm whether the cargo is accepted and which service applies.

• Provide the product name, material and use for every SKU
• Declare any batteries, magnets, liquids or powders up front
• Have the commercial invoice and packing list match the cartons exactly

Duties, customs clearance and FBA delivery

U.S. duties and taxes are assessed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection based on the HTS code and declared value of your goods and are paid at actual cost; we do not promise duty-free entry. After clearance, cartons are delivered to the fulfillment centers on your inbound plan. Cartons must follow Amazon's inbound requirements: single cartons at or under 50 lb (22.7 kg), each side at or under 25 inches, and FBA labels on two sides.