Air freight cost calculator
The Warp air freight cost calculator turns pieces, dimensions, and weight into chargeable weight, the number carriers actually bill on. Then see a cost estimate from Warp's captured rates for China, Vietnam, India, South Korea, and Taiwan lanes, each one dated, with the live number for your exact lane one scroll below.
How to use: Enter pieces, length, width, height, and weight per piece in step 1 to get chargeable weight. Pick an origin and destination in step 2 to see a captured cost estimate for that lane.
Get the live air quote for your lane
The captured rate above is Warp's own historical air freight data, dated. For today's number on your exact lane and piece count, price it live below.
What air freight costs are made of
The base is the chargeable weight rate: air carriers price by chargeable weight, not just the scale reading, which is what the calculator above returns for your shipment. On top of that sit fuel and security surcharges set by the carrier, airport handling on both ends, and the door legs: airport recovery at origin, plus delivery on the Warp network at the destination. When the price ends at a door, the US customs entry is itemized too; duty and import tax bill to the importer after arrival, and Warp coordinates clearance timing on the US side.
After the flight lands
Once the freight clears at the US airport, Warp takes over: recovery from the airport, transload or cross dock at a Warp facility, then delivery into Amazon FBA, retail DCs, or your own warehouse by LTL or truckload. The whole move is tracked on the same scan trail and in the same TMS as a domestic Warp shipment, so you're watching one plan instead of handing off between an airline, a broker, and a trucker.
Air or ocean
Air costs more per pound than ocean, but it closes the gap in weeks, not months: on Warp's captured China lanes, air freight cost per pound ran $5.18 to $7.33 against $0.24 to $0.32 by ocean FCL on the same corridor, for a trip that took 11 to 13 days by air against 18 to 36 days by container. For the full side by side on both modes and your exact lane, see international shipping quotes.
Air freight calculator FAQ
How is air freight chargeable weight calculated?
Chargeable weight is the greater of actual weight and volumetric weight. Volumetric weight in kilograms is length times width times height in centimeters, divided by 6,000, per piece; in pounds it's length times width times height in inches, divided by 166. Multiply the chargeable weight per piece by the piece count for the total. Carriers bill on whichever number is higher, so a light, bulky shipment can cost more than its scale weight suggests.
How much does air freight cost per kg from China to the US?
On Warp’s captured rates, A 2 pallets, 454 kg (1,000 lb) shipment from Shanghai to Los Angeles, captured Nov 4, 2026, ran $5.47 to $7.33 per pound, or $12.07 to $16.15 per kilogram. A 2 pallets, 544 kg (1,200 lb) shipment from Shanghai to Chicago, captured Nov 4, 2026, ran $5.18 to $6.30 per pound, or $11.43 to $13.88 per kilogram. The calculator above prices your own chargeable weight on this lane, and the live quote below returns the exact number for your shipment.
How long does air freight take from China to the US?
The flight itself typically runs one to three days. Door to door, including airport recovery, clearance coordination, and final delivery, Warp's captured China lanes ran 10 to 11 days: Shanghai to Los Angeles in 10 days and Shanghai to Chicago in 11 days, both on August 2026 captures. The live quote below returns exact transit for your lane.
What happens to my shipment at the US airport?
Warp recovers the freight at the arrival airport and coordinates clearance timing with the licensed broker filing the entry, then moves it onto the Warp network for final delivery: cross dock, LTL, or truckload into Amazon FBA, retail, or your own warehouse. The move is tracked on the same scan trail and in the same TMS as a domestic Warp shipment.
What is the minimum shipment size for air freight?
Warp's captured air rates price a 2 pallet load, which is how most Asia to US air freight moves. Smaller and larger piece counts price on the live quote below, which returns a chargeable weight rate for your exact shipment.
Does Warp handle customs for air freight shipments?
When the air price ends at a door, the US customs entry is itemized in it and filed by licensed forwarder partners; duty, import tax, the MPF entry fee, a customs bond if you don't hold an annual one, and any exam or storage fees bill to the importer after arrival. Warp isn't an IATA forwarder or customs broker: air rates come from licensed forwarder partners on the Warp platform, and Warp prices and runs the US leg, including clearance coordination, after your freight lands.
Ship with Warp
Warp prices air and ocean freight live from real schedules, locks a rate on the spot, and runs the US leg after your freight lands.