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Air freight · China → France
Air freight from China to France — Paris CDG, priority and economy compared, chargeable weight checked.
Priority and economy air cargo from Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, and Shanghai to Paris Charles de Gaulle in 3–7 days. We price against your stockout date, recalculate chargeable weight from real carton dimensions, and coordinate the DELTA declaration and self-assessed TVA for the French entry.
3–7 daysdoor-to-door range
Paris CDGprimary cargo gateway
Chargeableweight recalculated
DELTAdeclarations coordinated
3–5d
Airport to airport, priority
5–8d
Economy air service
CDG
primary French cargo hub
20%
TVA, self-assessed on return
Where air wins
Use air freight when the cost of waiting is higher than the freight.
High-value electronics
Dense cargo where air freight is a small fraction of unit value.
Replenishment top-up
Bridge a sea-freight gap with a right-sized air shipment.
days
Air freight intake
What an accurate air quote to France needs.
Air prices on chargeable weight, which comes from carton dimensions. These inputs keep the quote from moving after collection.
| Input | Used for | State |
|---|---|---|
| Carton dimensions and count | Volumetric weight — usually beats gross on air | Critical |
| Gross weight | The other half of chargeable weight | Needed |
| Product description + HS | DELTA classification and DG screening | Needed |
| Battery content | Carrier acceptance and packing declaration | Needed |
| EU EORI number | DELTA entry at import | Needed |
| French VAT registration | Self-assessed TVA on the return | Needed |
How it works
Four handoffs on one air waybill.
01 — Prepare
Confirm cargo and cutoff
Dimensions, batteries, classification, and the receiving window checked before space is booked.
02 — Collect
Pickup and consolidate
Cartons collected, weighed, measured, photographed, and matched to the commercial invoice.
03 — Fly
Uplift and track
Flight milestones and customs status in one thread. If cargo rolls, you hear it from us.
04 — Deliver
Clear and hand over
DELTA entry, EU duty, self-assessed TVA, then delivery to the French address.
FAQ
Air freight to France FAQ
Transit, chargeable weight, the express crossover, batteries, and self-assessed TVA.
How long does air freight from China to France take?
Airport to airport is 3–5 days on priority and 5–8 days on economy. Door to door — pickup, export, DELTA customs, and delivery — usually runs 7–10 days. Paris CDG is France's primary cargo gateway.
How is air freight priced from China to France?
On chargeable weight — the greater of actual gross weight and volumetric weight from carton dimensions. Light, bulky cargo almost always prices on volume, which is why a quote without carton dimensions is unreliable. We recalculate from measured cartons at intake.
When is express better than air freight to France?
For door-to-door parcels under roughly 200 kg, express courier (DHL, FedEx, UPS) is usually cheaper because customs and delivery are bundled. Above ~200 kg, consolidated air freight wins per kilo. We price both near that line. See our express service for the courier model.
Can you ship lithium batteries by air to France?
Often, but never automatically. EU and IATA acceptance depends on chemistry, watt-hour rating, state of charge, packing relationship, and carrier policy. Send the battery details and we confirm the lane before booking.
How does French import TVA work for air freight?
Since 2022 import TVA (20%) is self-assessed on the French VAT return rather than paid at the border. For a VAT-registered business this improves cash flow. The prerequisite is a French VAT registration — we confirm it is in place before shipping.
Air freight quote · France
Get priority and economy air to France compared in 24 hours.
Send the carton dimensions, weight, French destination, and required date. One agent replies with both service levels priced and the DELTA/TVA handoff.
Get priority and economy air to France compared in 24 hours.
Send the carton dimensions, weight, French destination, and required date. One agent replies with both service levels priced and the DELTA/TVA handoff.