The question everyone asks. The honest answer: it depends on your cargo's weight, size and how soon you need it — and sometimes the cheaper choice will surprise you.
Heavy or bulky and not in a hurry? Ship by sea — it's dramatically cheaper for furniture, barrels, appliances and boxes. Small, urgent, or high-value? Ship by air — it arrives in days, and for tiny parcels it can even be the cheaper option. When in doubt, run both through the calculator.
| ✈️ Air Freight | 🚢 Sea Freight | |
|---|---|---|
| Rate | From $7.99 / lb (billable weight) | $30 / cubic foot (Standard) |
| Priced on | Weight (greater of actual & volumetric, L×W×H ÷ 166) | Volume (the space it takes up) |
| Minimum | $50 | $100 |
| Transit | 7–14 business days | 10–14 weeks |
| Departs | Weekly (Thursday cut-off) | Every other week |
| Best for | Documents, electronics, spare parts, gifts on a deadline | Furniture, barrels, appliances, household goods, vehicles |
Insurance is mandatory on both: 2% of declared value (general goods), 5% (electronics). Sea also offers an All-Inclusive tier that covers typical KRA duties on used personal effects.
This single difference decides which is cheaper for your shipment.
You pay for the greater of actual weight and volumetric weight (L×W×H in inches ÷ 166). A light-but-large box is billed on its size; a small-but-heavy box on its weight. Dense, heavy cargo gets expensive fast by air.
You pay for the space your cargo occupies ($30 per cubic foot), regardless of weight. A barrel of clothes and a barrel of tinned food cost the same. Heavy things ship cheaply — which is why furniture and appliances almost always go by sea.
Freight only, at our standard rates — insurance and duties are separate.
24 × 18 × 18 in · about 30 lb · 4.5 ft³
Sea wins by ~$239. The box is bulky, so air bills it at ~47 volumetric lb. Unless you need it in two weeks, sea is the obvious call.
12 × 8 × 6 in · about 5 lb · 0.33 ft³
Air wins — and it's faster. Both hit their minimums, and air's $50 minimum beats sea's $100. For small items, air is often cheaper and quicker.
For heavy or bulky cargo, sea is dramatically cheaper — it's billed on volume, not weight. For small, light parcels, air can actually be cheaper because sea has a higher ($100) minimum. Run both through our calculator to compare your exact shipment.
Air arrives in about 7–14 business days; sea takes 10–14 weeks. If you need something for a specific date, choose air and mind the Thursday cut-off.
Yes — many customers send urgent items by air and bulky items by sea in the same period. Tell us what you're shipping and we'll advise the cheapest split.
Either works, but note some items (loose lithium batteries, for example) can't fly — see prohibited items. Electronics carry 5% insurance on both methods. For a single valuable device on a deadline, air is usually worth it.
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