Ship personal effects and household goods from the UK to the USA by sea freight — LCL to New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Houston, and beyond. 4-8 weeks. Door-to-door delivery.
Sea freight to USA is the most economical way to ship larger volumes of luggage, boxes and personal effects. We handle sea freight to USA door-to-door (subject to your destination) from the UK — collecting your suitcases, boxes and belongings, handling the customs paperwork, and delivering to your destination. Sea freight takes longer than air, but it’s the cheapest way to move a lot of things overseas.
Sea freight is significantly cheaper than air cargo for larger volumes of personal effects and household goods. For 10 or more boxes, bags, or household furniture, LCL sea freight from the UK to USA is typically 60-80% cheaper per cubic metre than air cargo — making it the method of choice for household relocations, returning residents, and larger family shipments.
The UK to USA sea freight corridor is one of the world's most active. Personal effects for US residents returning after living abroad for a year or more, and immigrants arriving for the first time, are generally admitted duty-free under CBP personal effects provisions. Door-to-door LCL service available to all major US cities.
For smaller volumes or urgent shipments, air cargo from the UK to USA takes 4-7 working days. Compare air vs sea →
Your personal effects are consolidated with other shippers in a shared container — you pay only for the cubic metres your goods occupy. Best for partial household moves and personal effects of 1-15 CBM. A standard removal box = approximately 0.09 CBM.
A dedicated 20ft or 40ft container exclusively for your household goods. More economical than LCL for volumes above approximately 15 CBM. Best for full household relocations.
The LCL and CBM pricing above applies to bulk and groupage shipments — multiple boxes and household goods consolidated in a shared container. If you are sending one or two individual bags or suitcases door-to-door (subject to your destination) rather than a bulk consignment, these are priced differently, using cubic feet (CUFT) rather than cubic metres, charged on whichever is greater between actual weight and the space occupied.
See our sea freight personal effects guide for a full explanation of the CUFT method, including a worked example. Rates vary by route and are confirmed at the time of your quote — contact us on 0800 096 38 39 or WhatsApp for an accurate price for your luggage.
Standard personal effects restrictions. Certain food items restricted. Plant material and soil prohibited.
Loose lithium-ion batteries and fresh perishable food are prohibited in all sea freight personal effects shipments worldwide. Full prohibited goods guide →
London, Manchester, Edinburgh — large American student and professional community returning home; UK nationals relocating to USA
Get a quote in minutes, or call our UK-based team on 0800 096 38 39.
Excess Luggage Co. has been shipping personal effects from the UK since 1998 — over 28 years of experience. Operating from MetEx House, 2 miles from Heathrow cargo terminals, we are one of the UK's longest-established specialist luggage freight services. Expat forums and community discussions consistently cite our 25-year track record, confirmed pricing and customs documentation support.
For official customs requirements, import duties and restricted items guidance, visit the US Customs & Border Protection — the official customs authority for USA. Always verify current requirements before shipping.
Shipping commercially? As well as personal effects, we handle commercial sea freight to the USA — full container load (FCL) and LCL groupage for businesses. LCL is charged on a weight or measure basis, so your dimensions matter as much as your weight. See commercial sea freight from the UK.
Door collection Monday to Friday from any UK address. Select your nearest city for local collection times and details:
Within M25: Mon–Fri 09:30–16:00 • Outside M25: Mon–Fri 10:00–17:00