- Delivery leg
- air
- Lead time
- 12–20 days to the consignee's address, as at 20 August 2026
- Rate and insurance cover
- confirmed when quoting
- Shipment weight
- shipment weight confirmed when quoting
- Import arrangements
- We agree who will act as importer of record and how the import will be structured for the destination country.
A lead time of 12–20 days to the consignee's address
The Europe route runs on the air leg: 12–20 days to the consignee's address, data as at 20 August 2026. That is a lead time to the address rather than to the airport: delivery inside the country of the consignee is already included. The spread depends on what is in the shipment, the destination city and how loaded the carrier is.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Leg | Air |
| Lead time | 12–20 days to the consignee's address |
| Start of the count | Hand-over of the shipment to the carrier after goods receipt at the warehouse in Guangzhou |
| Minimum shipment weight | Shipment weight confirmed when quoting |
| Weight calculation | Volumetric weight at the coefficient from the carrier's rate card, there is no density threshold |
| Freight rate | Confirmed when quoting, the quote is valid for 7 days |
| Insurance cover | Confirmed when quoting for the specific route |
| Import arrangements | We agree who will act as importer of record and how the import will be structured for the destination country. |
The lead time is built up from legs: collection of the cargo from the supplier, goods receipt and measuring at the warehouse in Guangzhou, building up the shipment under consolidation, packing, export release from China, the flight with handling at the arrival airport, and the last mile to the address. We confirm the figures for each leg when quoting. Lead times on the other routes: Kazakhstan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.
How the Europe route differs from the road routes
The difference is not only in speed: the weight calculation changes, and so do the document set and the packing requirements, and with them which goods it makes sense to put into a dispatch.
| Criterion | Europe, air | Road routes |
|---|---|---|
| Lead time | 12–20 days to the consignee's address | Calculated separately for each route |
| Weight calculation | No density threshold, volumetric weight at the coefficient from the carrier's rate card | The chargeable-weight rule depends on the mode of transport |
| Insurance cover | Confirmed when quoting | On some routes there is a confirmed figure, for example Kazakhstan – $5 per kg by road |
| Suitable cargo | Compact goods with a high value per kilogram | Bulky and heavy shipments |
| Documents | Assembled before hand-over to the carrier, depends on the country of the consignee and the category | The set depends on the supply scheme |
| Packing | For transhipments and handling at air terminals | For a long road journey and stacking inside the vehicle |
What we prepare on the documents
- Invoice and packing list based on the actual contents of the shipment after goods receipt at the warehouse.
- Full consignee details: legal name, delivery address, contact person and telephone, because delivery runs to the address.
- The supplier's documents for the goods: certificates, data sheets, technical documentation.
- Requirements by country of the consignee and by product category are confirmed when quoting: there is no single document set for the whole of Europe.
- Labelling of the places is agreed before packing.
- We agree who will act as importer of record and how the import will be structured for the destination country. Customs clearance is an additional service on request, and DPC is not a customs broker.
Cargo and official import call for different document sets, and the set has to be assembled before the cargo is handed to the carrier. Which documents your category needs is confirmed when quoting.
Packing for the air leg
On the air leg a place goes through more transhipments than in a vehicle: the warehouse, the departure terminal, the aircraft, the arrival terminal and courier delivery to the address. Factory packing is often designed for one move rather than for that chain. So we agree the packing before dispatch, once the shipment has been measured.
- Crated pallet – for fragile and high-value goods in large places.
- Cardboard corner with a bag – for boxes with soft corners and for stacking.
- Wooden crate – for small heavy places: equipment, glass, ceramics.
- Bag and tape – basic protection of cardboard against moisture.
Packing prices are published on the pricing page and are current as at 20 August 2026. Repacking pays for itself twice over: it lowers the risk of damage and it reduces the volumetric weight.
Insurance on the European routes
We confirm the insurance cover on the European routes when quoting: we have no confirmed figures for Europe. The mandatory cover is provided by the carrier and its amount depends on the route. We confirm the current voluntary insurance rate when quoting as well. Cover by route is set out on the pricing page.
Damage is not included in the insurance cover; liability for damage is determined by the contract of carriage and the applicable convention. The carrier's mandatory cover applies to loss, theft and non-delivery.
Weight, volume and density
On air express there is no density threshold at all: a place is paid for on volumetric weight, and the coefficient is set by the carrier's rate card on the specific route. On road routes the chargeable-weight rule depends on the route rate card and is stated in the quote. We calculate density after goods receipt, once the shipment has been weighed and measured at the warehouse.
Shipment weight is confirmed when quoting. If there is not enough volume, we top it up through consolidation of several suppliers into one dispatch, and storage while the shipment is being built is free: warehouse in Guangzhou.
How a supply to Europe runs
We take the weight, dimensions, number of places, consignee address and product category, and check off the documents required.
We verify the payee details and arrange settlement with the factory.
We recount the places, weigh and measure them, verify the SKUs and take a photo report.
We choose packing for the transhipments, label the places and draw up the packing list.
We prepare the transport documents, hand over the shipment and record the insurance cover for the route.
We follow the shipment along the route and coordinate receipt at the address.
Who this service is for
Wholesalers, distributors, manufacturers, retailers with regular sourcing needs and other businesses that buy from suppliers in China.
Send us the weight, dimensions, number of packages, product category and delivery address. We'll prepare a quote and confirm the documents needed for your route.
FAQ
How long does air delivery from China to Europe take?
12–20 days to the consignee's address, data as at 20 August 2026. The count starts from the hand-over of the shipment to the carrier after goods receipt at the warehouse in Guangzhou. Collection of the cargo from the supplier and building up the shipment are counted separately.
Is the 12–20 days to the airport or to the door?
To the consignee's address. Delivery inside the country of the consignee is included in that period, which is why we need the full address and a contact person before the cargo is handed to the carrier. Data as at 20 August 2026.
What sum is the cargo insured for on delivery to Europe?
We confirm the insurance cover on the European routes when quoting: the mandatory cover is provided by the carrier and depends on the route. Loss, theft and non-delivery are covered. We confirm the current voluntary insurance rate when quoting as well.
What happens if the goods arrive damaged?
Damage is not included in the insurance cover; liability for damage is determined by the contract of carriage and the applicable convention. That is why packing is agreed before dispatch, with the transhipments at the terminals in mind. We photograph the condition of every place at the warehouse in Guangzhou before hand-over to the carrier.
Who will be the importer, and do you handle customs in Europe?
We agree who will act as importer of record and how the import will be structured for the destination country. DPC is not a customs broker; customs clearance is available as an additional service on request. Requirements depend on the destination country and product category, and we confirm the required document set when quoting.
How is weight calculated if the cargo is light and bulky?
On the air leg there is no density threshold at all: a place is paid for on volumetric weight, and the coefficient is set by the carrier's rate card on the specific route. On road routes the chargeable-weight rule depends on the route rate card and is stated in the quote. Volume and weight are fixed at goods receipt, and before that the quote is preliminary.
Is there a minimum weight for a dispatch to Europe?
The minimum shipment weight is confirmed when quoting. Storage while the shipment is being built is free, so waiting for it to fill does not add to the cost.
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