Vietnam to LAX Air Freight for Inventory That Can’t Wait.
When a restock can’t sit on a ship for weeks, air freight gets it to Los Angeles in days. We coordinate air shipments from Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) and Hanoi (HAN) to LAX.
Lane at a Glance
| Origin airports | SGN, HAN |
| Destination | LAX |
| Transit | About 8–13 days door to door, including customs and delivery |
| Pricing | By chargeable weight |
| Typical price | About USD 11.40–12.90 per kg door to door from Ho Chi Minh City (October 2026) |
When Air Freight Makes Sense
Urgent restocks
Keep top sellers in stock when a stockout costs more than the freight.
Product samples
Get pre-production and approval samples in hand fast.
High-value lightweight goods
Electronics, accessories and small parts where speed pays off.
Seasonal inventory
Land holiday and launch stock on time.
How Chargeable Weight Works
Airlines charge for the space cargo takes up, not just what it weighs. Your chargeable weight is the higher of the actual weight and the volumetric weight. Under the common IATA standard, volumetric weight is length × width × height in centimeters divided by 6,000, so one cubic meter counts as about 167 kg.
| Example shipment | Actual weight | Volumetric weight | Chargeable weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 cartons of apparel, 1.2 cubic meters | 150 kg | about 200 kg | 200 kg |
| 2 pallets of parts, 1.0 cubic meter | 454 kg | about 167 kg | 454 kg |
Light, bulky goods are billed on volume, so tight packing saves real money. Dense goods are billed on actual weight.
Recent Air Price Example
A published October 20, 2026 rate for 2 pallets (454 kg / 1,000 lb) from Ho Chi Minh City to Los Angeles was USD 5,163–5,632 door to door, or about USD 11.38–12.90 per kg, with 8–13 days transit. For comparison, a full 40′ high cube by ocean on the same lane was priced from about USD 8,250 for up to 15,876 kg.
Source: Warp, Vietnam to US air rates (captured Oct 20, 2026) and Warp, Ho Chi Minh City to Los Angeles rates (captured Oct 11, 2026). Market examples, not TradeLane quotes.
Air or Ocean?
- Choose air when you need goods in under two weeks, the shipment is small, or the value per kilo is high.
- Choose ocean for full pallets or containers where 4–5 weeks door to door works.
- Split the order: fly a small share to cover sales while the rest comes by sea from Ho Chi Minh City or Haiphong.
Packing Tips That Lower Your Air Bill
- Right-size the cartons. Empty space inside a carton still counts toward volumetric weight.
- Use treated pallets only when needed. Pallets add weight and height; small shipments often fly as loose cartons. Any wood packaging must carry the ISPM 15 stamp.
- Share real measurements. Quotes use the dimensions you send. If the cartons arrive larger, the price changes at the airport.
- Label clearly. Put your company name, purchase order number and carton count on each carton.
Documents for Air Shipments
- Commercial invoice and packing list
- Air waybill, issued by the airline or our licensed forwarding partner
- Battery and dangerous-goods paperwork if your product contains lithium batteries, liquids or aerosols
- Customs entry through a licensed broker on arrival at LAX
Common Questions
How is air freight priced?
By chargeable weight: actual or volumetric weight, whichever is higher.
How fast is it?
About 8–13 days door to door, including customs and delivery. Airport-to-airport flights are faster; we quote the full door-to-door timeline.
Air or ocean?
Air is faster but costs more per kilo; we quote both so you can compare.
Can you ship batteries or electronics by air?
Often yes, with the right packaging and dangerous-goods paperwork. Tell us the product and battery type when you request a quote.
Do you fly from Hanoi?
Yes. Northern suppliers can fly from Hanoi (HAN); southern suppliers from Ho Chi Minh City (SGN).
Importer Guides
Need it there fast?
Sources for the numbers on this page: Warp, Vietnam to US air rates (captured Oct 20, 2026); Warp, Ho Chi Minh City to Los Angeles rates (captured Oct 11, 2026); USDA APHIS: ISPM 15 wood packaging rules. Published market rates, not a TradeLane quote. Rates change weekly; ask for today’s price.
Photos via Wikimedia Commons: Jamesshliu / CC BY-SA 3.0.
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