Shipping bags and luggage from China to the USA: cost and delivery time
Prices from our live rate card, updated
A boxed carry-on suitcase costs $151.39 to ship from China to a US address by air, door to door, in 6 to 12 working days, with US customs and import duty included in that price. A single handbag sample is $49.20, and 500 flat-packed cotton tote bags are $424.21.
Structured handbags and luggage bill on volume, so air consolidation takes over early and sea wins from 100 kg of billed weight: 10 cartons of travel bags are $999.38 by sea (30 to 40 days, duty included) against $1,162.94 by air plus duty.
What it costs to ship bags from China
Prices from our China warehouse to a US address, with duty included where the row says so. Billed weight is the actual weight or the carton volume (length x width x height in cm, divided by 6,000), whichever is higher. Sea prices are shown from 100 kg; below that, ask for a sea quote.
| Shipment | Billed weight | Air | Sea (indicative) |
|---|---|---|---|
| One handbag sample0.8 kg, 35 x 30 x 15 cm | 2.6 kg | $49.206 to 12 working days, duty included | ask for a sea quote |
| One carry-on suitcase, boxed4 kg, 58 x 40 x 25 cm | 9.7 kg | $151.396 to 12 working days, duty included | ask for a sea quote |
| 50 handbags, 2 cartons18 kg, 2 x 60 x 45 x 40 cm | 36 kg | $501.4310 to 14 days, plus US duty at import | ask for a sea quote |
| 500 cotton tote bags, flat packed30 kg, 3 x 50 x 40 x 30 cm | 30 kg | $424.216 to 12 working days, duty included | ask for a sea quote |
| Travel bags, 10 cartons120 kg, 10 x 70 x 50 x 45 cm | 262.5 kg | $1,162.9410 to 14 days, plus US duty at import | $999.3830 to 40 days, duty included |
Real bags requests, priced today
Shipments people recently asked us to price, with names removed, re-run through today's rates. Where no carton size was given, the price uses actual weight, so bulky cartons would cost more.
| Shipment | Billed weight | Air |
|---|---|---|
| Small crossbody bags3.7 kg | 3.7 kg | $66.286 to 12 working days, duty included |
| Bags from Guangzhou85 kg | 85 kg | $658.9310 to 14 days, plus US duty at import |
| A suitcase from Guangzhou6.35 kg | 6.3 kg | $102.036 to 12 working days, duty included |
How long it takes
Air, door to door
6 to 12 working days
from the day it leaves our China warehouse, up to about 35 kg, duty included
Air consolidation
10 to 14 days
from about 50 kg, duty paid at import
Sea, door to door
30 to 40 days
priced from 100 kg, duty included
Add the time your supplier needs to get the cartons to our China warehouse by domestic courier. That leg is your supplier's and is not in our price. Full shipping time breakdown ›
What changes the price for bags
Stuffed bags bill on air
You pay for the actual weight or the carton volume, whichever is higher. Handbags shipped with stuffing and suitcases bill on volume: 50 handbags weighing 18 kg bill as 36 kg. Soft tote bags packed flat bill on weight.
Branded bags ship too
Plain, unbranded bags ship on the general rate. We legally ship branded bags on our dedicated branded channel at a higher per-kg rate, and the instant offer prices them on the spot like any other shipment.
Duty is in the air price up to about 35 kg
Handbags, backpacks and luggage carry meaningful US duty that depends on the outer material. On our door-to-door air service (up to about 35 kg of general goods) and on sea, that duty is inside the price you see. Heavier air loads fly as air consolidation: the customs entry is in the price and the import duty is paid at import. Every offer says which.
Smart luggage
A suitcase with a built-in power bank, USB port or electronic lock contains electronics, so it rides the higher-rate electronics channel even if the battery is removable. Electronics shipping costs.
US rules for importing bags and luggage
Handbags, backpacks, wallets, tote bags and suitcases are classified under heading 4202 of the HS code, split by what the outer surface is made of: leather, plastic, textile or other. The material decides the duty, so get it in writing from the supplier. We classify the goods and file the entry; you do not need your own customs broker. How HS codes work.
Cotton tote bags and canvas bags deserve the same care as cotton clothing. Under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, US customs can hold cotton goods it suspects were made with Xinjiang cotton, so ask your supplier where the cotton comes from.
- Origin marking: each bag needs a durable "Made in China" label or stamp, usually sewn inside. Origin marking rules.
- Branded bags: keep your supplier's commercial invoice on file, since US customs can ask where branded goods came from.
- Exotic leather: bags made from real python, crocodile or other wildlife skins need wildlife permits and a US Fish and Wildlife Service declaration, so check with us before buying them.
- Children's backpacks: bags designed for kids 12 and under fall under CPSIA, which can mean testing for lead in zippers and prints and a Children's Product Certificate.
Packing bags to pay less
- Ask the supplier to ship soft handbags with minimal stuffing, or nest smaller bags inside larger ones.
- Tote bags and fabric bags should be folded flat in bundles; they then bill on weight, not volume.
- Nest suitcases of a set inside each other (carry-on inside medium inside large) and ship them in one carton.
- Fill cartons to the top. Our warehouse measures cartons as they arrive, and the measured size is what bills.
Get your exact price
Tell us what you are shipping, the weight and carton size. The instant offer uses the same rates as the tables above.
Common questions
How much does it cost to ship a suitcase from China to the USA?
A boxed carry-on suitcase billed at 9.7 kg is $151.39 by air, door to door with duty included, in 6 to 12 working days. Nesting a set of suitcases in one carton costs far less than shipping them separately.
How much does it cost to ship handbags from China?
One handbag sample is $49.20. A carton of small crossbody bags weighing 3.7 kg is $66.28. Larger structured handbags bill on volume, so ask the supplier for carton sizes before you compare quotes.
Is it cheaper to ship bags by air or by sea?
Under 100 kg of billed weight, air is the practical option. Above that, sea is cheaper per kg: $3.81 per kg on 10 cartons of travel bags, against $4.43 by air before duty, but it takes 30 to 40 days.
Can I ship branded bags, or bags with my own logo?
Yes to both. We legally ship branded bags on our branded channel at a higher per-kg rate. Bags printed with your own private-label logo ship on the general rate.
When do I pay?
After your cartons arrive at our China warehouse and are counted and weighed. The invoice uses the measured numbers, you pay by ACH from any US bank account with no fee, and nothing is due at delivery.