Air freight delivers your bags in 4–10 working days, subject to space and flight availability with the carriers. Sea freight takes 4–12 weeks but costs less for large volumes. These sea transit times are approximate — the actual time depends on when your LCL container finishes loading and consolidating, the vessel’s sailing date and route, any transhipment hub before the final destination, and customs clearance, so please allow a week or two either side. Here is how to decide which is right for your specific situation.
The short version: air freight is fast (4–10 working days to most destinations) and costs more per kg. Sea freight is slow (4–10 weeks) and costs less per kg. For most personal effects shipments of 1–10 bags, air freight is the right choice. Sea freight makes sense for large volumes or when cost matters more than speed.
Use air freight if: you need your bags within 1–2 weeks, you are shipping 1–10 bags, you are a student or professional relocating, or you need your personal belongings before a container arrives. Air freight is our most common service and the right choice for the vast majority of personal effects shipments.
Use sea freight if: you are shipping a large volume of bags, boxes and barrels — typically 15+ items — where the lower cost per kg makes sea freight genuinely cheaper despite the longer lead time. Sea freight is used by diaspora families sending regular large shipments home, or for the non-urgent component of a larger relocation.
The combination approach. Many customers on large moves use both: air freight for the personal effects they need immediately on arrival (clothes, laptop, documents), and sea freight for the larger, less urgent volume. We can handle both components and advise on how to split your shipment.
Call us on 0800 096 38 39 with your volume and destination — we will tell you which service makes sense for your situation and give you a quote for both if relevant.
Tell us your postcode, destination, bags and collection date. Clear quote. No guesswork.