Which Chinese airports do you ship from?
Most China cargo leaves from Shanghai Pudong, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong or Beijing. We choose the airport closest to your supplier and the best-value routing.
| Airport | Code | Typical supplier regions |
|---|---|---|
| Shanghai Pudong | PVG | Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang (incl. Ningbo, Yiwu) |
| Beijing Capital / Daxing | PEK / PKX | Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei |
| Guangzhou Baiyun | CAN | Guangdong (incl. Guangzhou, Foshan, Dongguan) |
| Shenzhen Bao’an | SZX | Shenzhen and the Pearl River Delta |
| Hong Kong | HKG | Hong Kong and South China |
Shanghai Pudong was one of Helsinki Airport’s five largest cargo destinations in 2024 (10,666 tonnes). From the other airports cargo flies direct or via a hub.
How long does air freight from China take?
| Service | Typical transit |
|---|---|
| Consolidated air freight | 1–3 days |
| Express courier | 1–3 days |
| Sea freight (for comparison) | 30–46 days port to port |
Indicative, updated 12 October 2026. Plan extra time around Chinese New Year (January–February) and the National Day holiday, “Golden Week” (1–7 October): factories close and flights fill up before and after. Europe–Asia routings are longer than before 2022 because EU airlines do not fly through Russian airspace.
What does the supplier in China need to do?
- Measure and weigh each carton. The airline re-measures at the terminal. If the supplier’s figures are too low, the chargeable weight and the price go up.
- File the Chinese export declaration under its own customs registration or through its agent. Small trading companies and marketplace sellers cannot always do this, so ask before you pay.
- Provide an English invoice and packing list with a precise description of each product, not just “parts” or “accessories”.
- For batteries: provide the UN 38.3 test summary and the Safety Data Sheet (SDS), and pack and label the goods under the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations.
On EXW or FCA terms our partner in China arranges pickup and export clearance. On CPT or DAP terms the supplier books the flight and we take over in Helsinki.
How much duty and VAT do you pay on goods from China?
- No trade agreement: the EU has no free trade agreement with China, so a certificate of origin does not lower the duty. Origin still matters, because some Chinese products carry anti-dumping or countervailing duty on top of normal duty, for example electric bicycles and certain steel and aluminium products.
- Duty depends on the CN code. Many products have low or zero duty. We check the code before the goods are shipped.
- Import VAT is generally 25.5% of the customs value (goods plus freight to the EU border) plus duty. VAT-registered companies report it in OmaVero.
- Invoice value: customs value is the price actually paid. If the invoice shows less than you paid, Finnish Customs can ask for proof of payment and reassess duty and VAT. Ask the supplier for an invoice that matches the payment.
- Product rules: the importer is responsible for CE marking, chemical rules (REACH) and other EU requirements. Consumer products sold in the EU also need a responsible economic operator in the EU under the General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR). Check this before you order from a marketplace.
- Branded goods: Finnish Customs can detain goods suspected of infringing trademarks. Buy branded products only from authorised sellers.
Documents for air freight from China
- Commercial invoice (seller, buyer, description, value, currency, Incoterm) that matches the payment
- Packing list with pieces, dimensions and weights
- Air waybill (house AWB from our partner, master AWB from the airline)
- Importer’s EORI number
- UN 38.3 test summary and SDS if the goods contain lithium batteries
- CE declaration of conformity or test reports where the product needs them (keep them on file, as Customs or the market surveillance authority may ask)
Common problems on the China lane, and how we avoid them
- Batteries without papers: the airline refuses the cargo at origin. We ask for the UN 38.3 summary and SDS before booking.
- Vague product descriptions: Customs sends queries and the goods wait. We check descriptions and CN codes before departure.
- Estimated dimensions: re-measuring raises the chargeable weight. We ask the supplier for measured figures.
- Several suppliers, several shipments: each pays its own minimum charges and clearance. Our partner can combine them into one flight and one customs declaration.
- Holiday backlogs: we book earlier before Chinese New Year and Golden Week.
How air freight from China works
- Send the supplier’s contact details, goods description, dimensions, weights and Incoterm (for example EXW or FCA).
- You get a price and transit time, and our partner agrees the pickup with the supplier.
- The goods are collected, cleared for export in China and booked on a flight.
- You get the AWB number, and we clear import customs at Helsinki Airport.
- We deliver to your address, or you collect from the cargo area.
Updated 12 October 2026