Shipping from Vietnam to USA: Ocean Freight, Air Freight, Costs and Transit Times
Shipping from Vietnam to US destinations is the coordinated movement of cargo from a Vietnamese factory or port to a US warehouse, distribution center, or Amazon FBA facility. Each shipment runs as one workflow covering ocean or air freight, US customs entry, and inland delivery. Vietnam-US trade volume has grown sharply since 2018 as importers diversify away from China, and the lane carries apparel, footwear, furniture, electronics, and seafood at enterprise scale. Platton runs shipping from Vietnam to USA on a single managed file, with one freight specialist owning origin pickup through US warehouse delivery.
Why US Importers Ship from Vietnam Through Platton
Most importers we onboard for the Vietnam lane are leaving a forwarder where rate turnaround takes a day, status updates require chasing email, and accessorials only appear at final billing. Platton runs the opposite model: live rate comparison in minutes, real-time milestones, and one named specialist who owns the file from Vietnamese factory pickup through US warehouse gate-in.
One platform from factory pickup to US warehouse
Vietnam to USA shipments run on a single file across origin pickup, export clearance, ocean or air transit, US customs entry, drayage, and final delivery. Your team sees the same milestone data we see, in one dashboard, with one tracking number per shipment.
Customs clearance
on the same file
US customs entry on Vietnamese imports runs on the same file as the freight. ISF (10+2) is filed at least 24 hours before vessel loading at Cat Lai, Hai Phong, or Cai Mep. HTS classification, AD/CVD review, and Section 232 exposure are confirmed before US arrival.
Real-time visibility and one point of contact
Every Vietnam shipment is tracked through origin receipt, vessel departure, transshipment, US port arrival, customs release, drayage, and final delivery. When a vessel rolls or CBP issues an exam hold, the alert reaches your team the same day.
Enterprise volume capacity
Platton books FCL programs with carriers serving every major Vietnam to USA pair, with capacity allocation that holds through peak season from June through October. Multi-container weekly programs out of Cat Lai or Cai Mep get contract-rate stability instead of spot-market exposure.
Ocean Freight from Vietnam to the USA
Ocean freight from Vietnam to USA is the most cost-effective mode for commercial shipments above two cubic meters. Cargo loads at Cat Lai, Hai Phong, or Cai Mep and discharges at Los Angeles, Long Beach, New York, Savannah, Houston, or Seattle, with transit ranging from 12 to 35 days.
FCL Shipping
from Vietnam to USA
LCL Shipping
from Vietnam to USA
Major Origin and
US Destination Ports
Cat Lai in Ho Chi Minh City is the largest container port in Vietnam and the default origin for southern manufacturing. Hai Phong serves northern Vietnam and the Hanoi corridor. Cai Mep is a deepwater terminal capable of direct US calls without transshipment, the fastest ocean option on the lane. On the US side, Los Angeles and Long Beach handle the bulk of Vietnamese cargo, with secondary volume through Seattle, New York, Savannah, and Houston.
Air Freight from Vietnam to the USA
Air freight from Vietnam to USA delivers in five to ten business days airport to airport on standard service, with express options as fast as three to five days. It is used for time-sensitive restocks, new product launches, high-value electronics, perishable seafood, and any shipment where ocean transit can no longer hit a peak-season cutoff.
Standard Air Freight from Vietnam
Standard air cargo from Vietnam to the US runs $4 to $9 per kilogram depending on lane, season, and density, with consolidator and direct-flight options compared at quote stage. Volume break points apply at 100, 300, 500, and 1,000 kilograms.
Express Air Freight Services
Express air freight from Vietnam delivers in three to five days door to door through DHL, FedEx, UPS, or dedicated air consolidators. Pricing runs $7 to $14 per kilogram and includes faster customs handling at US gateways. It is used for ASIN restocks before stockout and any Q4 shipment that misses the ocean cutoff.
Major Airport Pairs from Vietnam to the USA
SGN (Tan Son Nhat in Ho Chi Minh City) carries the majority of Vietnam air cargo, with direct and one-stop service to LAX, ORD, JFK, ATL, and SFO. HAN (Noi Bai in Hanoi) serves northern manufacturing with similar US gateway coverage. DAD (Da Nang) connects through SGN or HAN for US-bound flights.
Door to Door Shipping from Vietnam to the USA
Door to door shipping from Vietnam to USA covers factory pickup, Vietnamese export clearance, ocean or air transit, US customs entry on one file, drayage, and final delivery to your warehouse or Amazon FBA facility. You receive one tracking number, one invoice, and one named freight specialist across the file.
Origin Pickup
and Export Clearance
Platton coordinates pickup at the Vietnamese supplier or factory and supervises empty container or pallet positioning on site. Export clearance through Vietnamese customs is filed against the booking, and the commercial invoice, packing list, and certificate of origin are validated before the cargo gates in.
US Customs Clearance
and Documentation
US customs entry on Vietnam to USA shipments is filed on the same file against the correct HTS codes. ISF (10+2) is filed at least 24 hours before vessel loading at origin to avoid the $5,000 non-compliance penalty. Duty, MPF, HMF, AD/CVD where applicable, and Section 232 tariffs are calculated and paid before cargo release.
Last-Mile Delivery
to Warehouse or Amazon FBA
Once customs releases the cargo, drayage pick up the container or LCL pallets at the US terminal or destination CFS inside free time. Final delivery runs to your warehouse, 3PL, or Amazon FBA facility on the appointment booked, with the FBA shipment ID and PO number on the bill of lading for Amazon-bound cargo.
Vietnam to USA Shipping Transit Times
Transit times on the Vietnam to USA lane depend on origin port, US gateway, and whether the routing is direct or transshipped. Cai Mep direct calls are the fastest ocean option. Hai Phong adds three to four days versus Cat Lai because most northern services route through southern transshipment hubs.
Ocean Freight Transit Times by Port Pair
The table below reflects realistic ranges including normal port congestion. Peak season (June through October) and Lunar New Year can extend ranges by three to seven days. Direct services from Cai Mep run the tightest schedules on the lane.
Air Freight Transit Times to US Gateways
Standard air freight from SGN or HAN to LAX, JFK, ORD, ATL, or SFO runs five to ten days airport to airport. Express compresses to three to five days door to door, with one to three days added for US customs clearance and inland trucking on either tier.
| Origin Port | US Destination | Transit Time (days) |
|---|---|---|
| Cat Lai (Ho Chi Minh City) | Los Angeles / Long Beach Jersey | 14 to 20 |
| Cat Lai (Ho Chi Minh City) | New York / New Jersey (via Panama) | 28 to 35 |
| Cai Mep (deepwater, direct call) | Los Angeles / Long Beach | 12 to 16 |
| Cai Mep (deepwater, direct call) | Seattle / Tacoma | 14 to 18 |
| Hai Phong (northern Vietnam) | Los Angeles / Long Beach | 18 to 24 |
| Hai Phong (northern Vietnam) | Savannah / Houston | 32 to 40 |
How Much Does Shipping from Vietnam to USA Cost?
Shipping from Vietnam to USA cost is the sum of international freight, US customs and duties, and inland delivery. A 40ft FCL from Cat Lai to Los Angeles typically lands between $2,800 and $5,500 in ocean charges, with full landed cost reaching $4,500 to $9,000 depending on commodity duty rate and last-mile distance.
How Shipping from Vietnam to USA Works
Every Vietnam to USA shipment follows a standard sequence from supplier production through US warehouse delivery. The seven steps below cover what happens on a typical FCL or LCL ocean shipment. Air freight collapses the ocean transit step into a flight segment.
Supplier finishes production in Vietnam and goods pass quality inspection.
Platton collects cargo from the factory and delivers it to Cat Lai, Hai Phong, Cai Mep, SGN, or HAN.
Vietnamese customs clears the export with commercial invoice, packing list, and certificate of origin.
Cargo travels by ocean (12 to 35 days) or air (5 to 10 days) to the US port or airport of entry.
ISF (10+2) is filed 24 hours before vessel loading and the customs entry is filed before US arrival.
US Customs and Border Protection releases the cargo after duty, MPF, HMF, and any AD/CVD are paid.
Drayage and final-mile trucking deliver to your warehouse, 3PL, or Amazon FBA facility under a booked appointment.
Tariffs and Customs on Vietnam to USA Imports
Tariffs on Vietnam to USA imports are set by HS code classification under the US Harmonized Tariff Schedule, with duty rates from zero to over 20 percent on most commercial cargo. Section 301 China tariffs do not apply to Vietnamese-origin goods. AD/CVD orders, Section 232, and CBP transhipment scrutiny all apply on this lane.
U.S. Import Duties and
HS Code Classification
Every Vietnam to USA shipment is classified under a 10-digit HTS code that determines the applicable duty rate, MPF, and any preferential treatment. Misclassification triggers underpayment penalties, overpayment that erodes margin, or detention at the port. Platton's customs team review classification at quote stage and confirm duty exposure before the cargo loads.
AD/CVD, Transhipment Scrutiny,
and Section 232 on Vietnamese Imports
Active antidumping and countervailing duty orders apply to Vietnamese wooden cabinets and furniture, hardwood plywood, frozen shrimp, catfish, certain steel products, and tires. Vietnamese furniture imports also face heightened CBP scrutiny for transhipment from China, where Chinese components are routed through Vietnam to evade Section 301. Substantial transformation analysis and certificate of origin documentation are essential.
How Platton Handles US
Customs Clearance
Platton manages US customs clearance on every Vietnam to USA shipment on the same file as the freight. ISF, entry summary, AD/CVD review specific to Vietnamese-origin shipments, Section 232 declarations where applicable, and duty payment all sit on one workflow with one tracking number and one invoice.
Amazon FBA Shipping
from Vietnam to the USA
Amazon FBA shipping from Vietnam to USA covers the full move from a Vietnamese supplier to an Amazon fulfillment center, with FBA prep, customs clearance, drayage, and appointment booking handled on one file. Vietnam is a growing FBA origin for apparel, footwear, furniture, and home goods.
FBA Prep and Labeling at Origin or US Warehouse
FNSKU labels, polybagging, bundling, and carton labeling can run at origin in Vietnam through Platton's supplier-side prep workflow, or at a US prep warehouse after customs release. Origin prep keeps the FBA-ready cargo sealed in a single container. US-side prep is the right choice when the supplier cannot handle FBA labeling.
Direct Delivery to Amazon Fulfillment Centers
Vietnam-origin FBA cargo delivers direct to Amazon fulfillment centers including ONT8, LGB8, and GYR2 on the West Coast, and CHA1, LGA8, and JFK8 on the East Coast. Pallets are labeled to Amazon's FBA standard, the BOL carries the Amazon PO number, FBA shipment ID, and appointment time, and the truck arrives within the booked window.
Frequently Asked Questions
About Shipping from Vietnam to USA
Shipping from Vietnam to USA takes 12 to 35 days by ocean and 5 to 10 days by air. Cai Mep direct calls to Los Angeles run 12 to 16 days, Cat Lai to LA runs 14 to 20 days, and Hai Phong to East Coast ports runs 32 to 40 days via Panama.
Shipping from Vietnam to USA costs $2,800 to $5,500 for a 40ft FCL to Los Angeles, $35 to $75 per cbm for LCL, and $4 to $14 per kilogram for air freight. Total landed cost adds duty, MPF, HMF, AD/CVD where applicable, drayage, and inland delivery on top of the freight rate.
Ocean LCL is the cheapest way to ship from Vietnam to USA for shipments under 13 cubic meters. Above 13 to 15 cbm, FCL becomes cheaper per cubic meter. Air freight is the only realistic option when transit must stay under 10 days.
A 40ft container from Vietnam to USA costs $2,800 to $5,500 in ocean freight to Los Angeles or Long Beach, and $3,500 to $6,500 to East Coast ports via Panama. The exact rate depends on carrier, sailing date, peak season surcharges, and origin port.
Platton coordinates US customs clearance on Vietnam to USA shipments on the same file as the freight. ISF, entry filing, HTS classification, AD/CVD review, and duty payment all run on one workflow, with one Platton specialist visible across the file.
Cai Mep is the best Vietnamese port for shipping to USA because it supports direct deepwater calls without transshipment, compressing transit to 12 to 16 days into Los Angeles. Cat Lai is the largest port and the default for southern manufacturing. Hai Phong is the right choice for northern Vietnam.
Ready to Ship from Vietnam to the USA?
Whether you are running a single LCL consolidation out of Cat Lai or 20 FCL containers per month from Cai Mep into West Coast distribution, Platton handles shipping from Vietnam to USA from factory to warehouse. Origin pickup, Vietnamese export clearance, ocean or air transit, US customs entry on one file, drayage, and final delivery run on one file with one named specialist.