Updated
Air freight rates
| Chargeable weight | Air freight |
|---|---|
| 1 kg | S$13.00 |
| 2 kg | S$21.80 |
| 3 kg | S$30.60 |
| 4 kg | S$39.40 |
| 5 kg | S$44.00 |
| 6 kg | S$52.80 |
| 7 kg | S$61.60 |
| 8 kg | S$70.40 |
| 9 kg | S$79.20 |
| 10 kg | S$88.00 |
| 11–30 kg | S$8.80 × kg |
| 31 kg and up | S$8.50 × kg |
From 5 kg the S$13.00 first-kg charge no longer applies: every kg is S$8.80. That's why 5 kg (S$44.00) costs only S$4.60 more than 4 kg (S$39.40).
How the chargeable weight works
We charge the higher of two weights, each rounded up to the next whole kg:
- Actual weight, on the scale.
- Volumetric weight = length × width × height (cm) ÷ 5,000.
Example
A box of 35.5 × 25.4 × 25.4 cm that weighs 2 kg has a volumetric weight of 4.58 kg, rounded up to 5 kg. It's charged as 5 kg: S$44.00, not S$21.80.
Work it out for your own boxes with the volumetric weight calculator.
When air makes sense
- You need it within the week.
- It's small and heavy for its size: phones, clothes, accessories.
- It's valuable and you'd rather it spend less time in transit.
For bulky or heavy shipments, sea is usually much cheaper: 10 kg costs S$88.00 by air and S$30.50 by sea. Compare both in the calculator.
Items that are better by sea
- Sprays and aerosols (hair spray, deodorant, sunscreen spray): ship by sea.
- Liquids: most can go by air, perfume and cosmetics included, unless they're flammable, dangerous or controlled. Sprays, aerosols, fragrance oils and diffuser liquids go by sea only.
- Power banks: we recommend sea, and air has quantity limits. WhatsApp us first if you have several.
- Very long or very heavy parcels: a parcel over 140 cm long (or 70 cm or more on two sides), or over 40 kg, adds S$60.00 once per shipment on air and on sea by kg.
Worked examples: five air parcels
Each row shows the packed size, the two weights, which one is charged, and the full amount with import tax on a stated goods value.
| Parcel | Packed size | Actual / volumetric | Charged as | Air freight | Goods value | Import tax | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 kg clothes order a few tops and jeans | 30 × 20 × 15 cm | 1.6 kg / 2 kg | 2 kg | S$21.80 | S$60.00 | S$5.40 | S$27.20 |
| 6 kg shoe carton three pairs of shoes in their boxes | 40 × 30 × 25 cm | 4.5 kg / 6 kg | 6 kg | S$52.80 | S$150.00 | S$13.50 | S$66.30 |
| 12 kg mixed order homeware, toys and clothes from four shops | 45 × 35 × 30 cm | 11.4 kg / 10 kg | 12 kg | S$105.60 | S$280.00 | S$25.20 | S$130.80 |
| Bulky but light a quilt and two pillows | 60 × 50 × 40 cm | 4 kg / 24 kg | 24 kg | S$211.20 | S$80.00 | S$7.20 | S$218.40 |
| 40 kg load two cartons of books and kitchenware | 2 boxes, each 50 × 40 × 40 cm | 40 kg / 32 kg | 40 kg | S$340.00 | S$600.00 | S$54.00 | S$394.00 |
How the 6 kg shoe carton is worked out
Three pairs of shoes in their boxes, 40 × 30 × 25 cm, 4.5 kg on the scale. Actual weight rounds up to 5 kg. Volumetric weight: 40 × 30 × 25 ÷ 5,000 = 6 kg. The higher one is 6 kg, so the freight is 6 × S$8.80 = S$52.80. Import tax on S$150.00 of goods is S$13.50. Total S$66.30.
The bulky parcel shows why size matters by air: a quilt and two pillows weigh 4 kg but fill a 60 × 50 × 40 cm box, which is 24 kg volumetric. Soft goods like this are usually better by sea.
What air works out to per kg
There are three price bands, and they don't stack. Under 5 kg you pay S$13.00 for the first kg and S$8.80 for each kg after. From 5 kg every kg is S$8.80. From 31 kg every kg is S$8.50.
| Chargeable weight | Air freight | Works out to, per kg |
|---|---|---|
| 1 kg | S$13.00 | S$13.00 |
| 2 kg | S$21.80 | S$10.90 |
| 4 kg | S$39.40 | S$9.85 |
| 5 kg | S$44.00 | S$8.80 |
| 10 kg | S$88.00 | S$8.80 |
| 30 kg | S$264.00 | S$8.80 |
| 31 kg | S$263.50 | S$8.50 |
| 50 kg | S$425.00 | S$8.50 |
- The first-kg charge fades as weight goes up. A 1 kg parcel is S$13.00 per kg. At 4 kg it averages S$9.85 per kg, and from 5 kg it is a flat S$8.80.
- 30 kg and 31 kg cost almost the same: S$264.00 and S$263.50. The lower rate applies to every kg once the shipment reaches 31 kg.
Two small parcels: separate or together?
Two 2 kg parcels sent as two shipments: 2 × S$21.80 = S$43.60. Combined into one 4 kg shipment: S$39.40. Three of them combined, 6 kg: S$52.80 instead of S$65.40.
Parcels can wait at our warehouse for up to 45 days, free, so there is time for slower sellers to deliver. The full rate card is on China to Singapore shipping rates.
Air or sea for the same parcel
The same five parcels, priced both ways. Freight only; the import tax is the same whichever you choose.
| Parcel | Charged as | Air · est. 4–5 working days | Sea | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 kg clothes order | 2 kg | S$21.80 | S$10.50 (by kg, est. 3–4 weeks) | S$11.30 |
| 6 kg shoe carton | 6 kg | S$52.80 | S$20.50 (by kg, est. 3–4 weeks) | S$32.30 |
| 12 kg mixed order | 12 kg | S$105.60 | S$35.50 (by kg, est. 3–4 weeks) | S$70.10 |
| Bulky but light | 24 kg | S$211.20 | S$65.50 (by kg, est. 3–4 weeks) | S$145.70 |
| 40 kg load | 40 kg | S$340.00 | S$90.00 (Sea LCL, est. 2–3 weeks) | S$250.00 |
- Up to a few kg, the difference is small in dollars. For the 2 kg clothes order it is S$11.30, for an order that arrives in about 4–5 working days instead of about 3–4 weeks (both est.). See small parcel shipping.
- From 11 kg, air costs more than a whole 0.4 m³ by Sea LCL. 11 kg by air is S$96.80; Sea LCL starts at a flat S$90.00.
- Bulky and light goods are where air costs the most for what you get, because you pay for the space.
You can also split an order: send two order lists, one for Air with the items you need soon, one for Sea with the rest. How the timings compare is in China to Singapore shipping time.
What the air rate includes, and what's extra
- Included: receiving and combining your parcels in Guangzhou, up to 45 days of storage, the flight, customs clearance, and delivery to your door in Singapore.
- Always added: import tax, 9% of your goods value.
- Long or heavy parcel: S$60.00 once per shipment, however many parcels qualify. For the weight test we use the weight on the scale (over 40 kg in one parcel), not the volumetric weight.
- 09xxxx postcode: S$35.00.
- Wrong Normal or Sensitive declaration: S$10.00 for each parcel resent. Items with batteries, cosmetics and food are Sensitive. The prohibited and sensitive items guide lists them.
Example with a fee
Curtain rods in a tube of 150 × 12 × 12 cm, 6 kg, goods value S$90.00. Charged as 6 kg: S$52.80. Over 140 cm long: S$60.00. Import tax: S$8.10. Total S$120.90.
New to this? How to ship from China to Singapore walks through the whole order, and parcel tracking shows when your parcels reach our warehouse.
Questions people ask
How long does air freight from China to Singapore take?
About 4–5 working days from dispatch at our Guangzhou warehouse to your door. It can take longer at peak times, and the local courier sets the delivery day.
Is it cheaper to wait and ship parcels together?
Usually, yes. Under 5 kg the first kg costs S$13.00; combining parcels spreads that over more weight, and from 5 kg it disappears.
Is the 9% import tax included in the air rate?
No. Import tax is 9% of the value of your goods, added on your invoice. Example: S$500 of goods at 5 kg = S$44.00 freight + S$45.00 tax.
Can I send batteries by air?
Items with batteries can go by air when declared as Sensitive. For power banks and large lithium batteries we recommend sea; quantities on air are limited.
How much is air freight for 20 kg or 30 kg from China to Singapore?
20 kg is S$176.00 and 30 kg is S$264.00, at S$8.80 per kg. From 31 kg every kg is S$8.50, so 31 kg is S$263.50 and 50 kg is S$425.00. Add 9% import tax on your goods value.
My seller's courier says my parcel is 9.5 kg. Is that what I pay for?
Not always. We charge the higher of the actual weight and the volumetric weight, measured at our warehouse. A 9.5 kg parcel in a 47 × 30 × 70 cm box has a volumetric weight of 20 kg after rounding up, so by air it is charged as 20 kg: S$176.00.
Can I send part of my order by air and the rest by sea?
Yes. Send two order lists, one for Air and one for Sea, each with its own tracking numbers. Items that can't fly, like most liquids and sprays, go on the Sea list.
Is air better than sea for fragile items?
Air is usually the gentler option, because there is less stacking than on a sea shipment. Fragile items are still not covered for breakage by either method.