Current Freight Rates
Price data updating. Contact us for current rates.
Trade Terms Explained — Who Pays for What EXW, FOB, CIF, DDP and seven more — see which costs sit with us and which sit with you
The rate above is quoted on one specific trade term. Change the term and you change how much of the journey to Argentina is already inside the price. The table below maps the eleven common Incoterms® against the twelve cost stages of a door-to-door shipment, so you can see exactly where our responsibility ends and yours begins.
- Seller — Cost and arrangement sit with the seller / shipper.
- Buyer — Cost and arrangement sit with the buyer / consignee.
- Negotiable — Not fixed by the rule — agree it in the contract.
| Term | 1 Loading on truck | 2 Export customs declaration | 3 Carriage to port of export | 4 Unloading at port of export | 5 Loading on vessel / aircraft | 6 Main carriage | 7 Cargo insurance | 8 Unloading at port of import | 9 Loading on truck at import | 10 Carriage to destination | 11 Import customs clearance | 12 Import duties & taxes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXW Ex Works | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck | Buyer Buyer — Export customs declaration | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to port of export | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of export | Buyer Buyer — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Buyer Buyer — Main carriage | Buyer Buyer — Cargo insurance | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| FCA Free Carrier | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to port of export | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of export | Buyer Buyer — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Buyer Buyer — Main carriage | Buyer Buyer — Cargo insurance | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| FAS Free Alongside Ship | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Buyer Buyer — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Buyer Buyer — Main carriage | Buyer Buyer — Cargo insurance | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| FOB Free On Board | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Buyer Buyer — Main carriage | Buyer Buyer — Cargo insurance | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| CFR Cost and Freight | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Seller Seller — Main carriage | Buyer Buyer — Cargo insurance | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| CIF Cost, Insurance and Freight | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Seller Seller — Main carriage | Seller Seller — Cargo insurance | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| CPT Carriage Paid To | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Seller Seller — Main carriage | Negotiable Negotiable — Cargo insurance | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of import | Seller Seller — Loading on truck at import | Seller Seller — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| CIP Carriage and Insurance Paid | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Seller Seller — Main carriage | Seller Seller — Cargo insurance | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of import | Seller Seller — Loading on truck at import | Seller Seller — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| DAT Delivered At Terminal (DPU) | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Seller Seller — Main carriage | Negotiable Negotiable — Cargo insurance | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of import | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| DAP Delivered At Place | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Seller Seller — Main carriage | Negotiable Negotiable — Cargo insurance | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of import | Seller Seller — Loading on truck at import | Seller Seller — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| DDP Delivered Duty Paid | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Seller Seller — Main carriage | Negotiable Negotiable — Cargo insurance | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of import | Seller Seller — Loading on truck at import | Seller Seller — Carriage to destination | Seller Seller — Import customs clearance | Seller Seller — Import duties & taxes |
EXW Ex Works
Buyer takes over at the seller's door and carries every cost from there. Lowest quoted price, highest buyer workload.
FCA Free Carrier
Seller clears the goods for export and hands them to the carrier the buyer nominated.
FAS Free Alongside Ship
Sea and inland waterway only. Seller delivers alongside the vessel; loading is on the buyer.
FOB Free On Board
Sea and inland waterway only. Risk passes once the goods are on board. The most common buying term.
CFR Cost and Freight
Seller pays the main carriage but carries no insurance obligation; risk still passes on loading.
CIF Cost, Insurance and Freight
As CFR, plus the seller must buy and pay for cargo insurance (minimum cover unless you agree more).
CPT Carriage Paid To
Any mode. Seller pays carriage through to the named destination; insurance is not obligatory.
CIP Carriage and Insurance Paid
As CPT, plus the seller must insure the cargo through to the named destination.
DAT Delivered At Terminal (DPU)
Seller delivers unloaded at the named terminal. Renamed DPU (Delivered at Place Unloaded) in Incoterms® 2020.
DAP Delivered At Place
Seller delivers to your address ready for unloading; import clearance and duty stay with the buyer.
DDP Delivered Duty Paid
Seller carries everything through to your door, duty and tax included. Highest quoted price, least buyer workload.
Two things worth flagging. Under CIF and CIP the seller is obliged to buy cargo insurance and pay the premium; under every other term insurance is optional, and we recommend buyers arrange their own cover so a loss or damage in transit is recoverable. And this table is a working summary for planning purposes — the binding definitions are the ones published by the International Chamber of Commerce in the Incoterms® rules, so confirm the exact term wording in your sales contract before you ship.
Service Details
What to expect on the China–Argentina Air Freight lane
We move door-to-door air freight from South China into Argentina. Cargo enters through EZE (Buenos Aires Ezeiza), COR (Córdoba) and clears with Dirección General de Aduanas (ARCA), which takes 5–12 days on average.
Argentina's constraint is administrative rather than physical. Import declarations must be filed and approved before the cargo ships, and foreign-exchange access for paying suppliers has been rationed for years — both directly affect whether a DDP structure is workable. Verify the consignee's declaration status and FX position before booking, not after.
Route facts
| Destination country | Argentina |
|---|---|
| Region | Americas |
| Mode | Air Freight |
| Gateways used | EZE (Buenos Aires Ezeiza), COR (Córdoba) |
| Transit, China to gateway | 4–7 business days |
| Clearance / dwell | 5–12 days |
| Peak season | Sep–Nov |
Delivery cities on this lane
Each city below has its own guide covering the gateway that serves it, the inland leg after clearance and the local delivery requirements.
- China to Buenos Aires — capital and the dominant national market. Via EZE air / Buenos Aires sea; inland leg same day. Air Freight guide →
- China to Cordoba — second largest city and automotive centre. Via COR air / Buenos Aires sea; inland leg +1 day. Air Freight guide →
- China to Rosario — Parana river port and agro-industrial hub. Via EZE air / Rosario sea; inland leg +1 day. Air Freight guide →
- China to Mendoza — western regional centre and wine industry base. Via MDZ air / Buenos Aires sea; inland leg +2 days. Air Freight guide →
- China to La Plata — provincial capital with its own port. Via EZE air / La Plata sea; inland leg same day. Air Freight guide →
- China to Mar del Plata — coastal city and fishing industry base. Via EZE air / Mar del Plata sea; inland leg +1 day. Air Freight guide →
Every consignment on this service is measured as well as weighed. Volumetric weight is L×W×H in centimetres divided by 6000 — one cubic metre counted as roughly 166.7 kg — and whichever figure is higher is the one charged. Dense cargo pays on its weight; light bulky cargo pays on its volume, and repacking to raise density is often the cheapest saving available on a Argentina shipment.
Typical cargo on this route: electronic switches (HS 8534 / 8541 / 8542), where clearance turns on cE, FCC and RoHS; export-control screening on advanced-node equipment, automation equipment (HS 84) and amazon fba (HS mixed). If yours is on that list the commodity page is worth two minutes — it covers how the goods should leave the factory, how they should sit in the container, and the failure mode we see most often on this kind of freight.
Argentina air cargo on this service routes through EZE (Buenos Aires Ezeiza) and COR (Córdoba). Where more than one gateway is listed the booked one depends on space on the day; the rate is the same either way, but the inland delivery leg beyond the airport is not.
Inland coverage matters more than the port rate for most consignees. We deliver to Buenos Aires, Rosario, Cordoba, Mar del Plata and La Plata and beyond, and the guide for each sets out its arrival gateway, the inland days to add to the transit quoted here, and the documentation the local office actually asks for. You can browse all Argentina destinations we cover, 7 destinations in total.
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Additional Information
What Dirección General de Aduanas (ARCA) will ask for
IVA 21% plus a 10.5% IVA perception and income-tax perception; Mercosur common external tariff of 0–35%. The de-minimis position is USD 400 for courier consignments under the simplified regime.
Conformity: Import declaration (SEDI) required before shipment for most goods; safety certification for electrical products.
Known friction points: Pre-shipment import declaration approval is required; goods shipped without it can be refused. Foreign-currency access constrains duty settlement and supplier payment. Tax perceptions on top of IVA raise the effective landed cost well above the headline rate.
Documents we file under DDP
- Commercial invoice showing HS codes and the true transaction value
- Packing list with carton count, gross and net weight, and dimensions
- Air waybill
- Certificate of origin where it reduces the duty rate
- Product certification or conformity documents where the commodity requires them
Packing notes
- Chargeable weight is the greater of actual gross weight and volumetric weight (L×W×H ÷ 6000)
- Use ISPM-15 treated wood for any pallet or crate — untreated timber is a common hold
- Mark every carton with the consignee name, city and carton number of total
- Declare lithium batteries, magnets, liquids and powders before booking, not after
Other modes into Argentina
Duty rates, thresholds and conformity rules change by ministerial decision. The figures here are buyer-planning references, not a customs ruling — confirm the current position for your HS code with Dirección General de Aduanas (ARCA) or your broker before shipping.
Where these numbers come from
Duty and tax figures on this page are planning estimates. The binding assessment is made by Dirección General de Aduanas (ARCA) against your declared HS code at the time of entry; where the amount is material, verify the current rate through ITC Market Access Map before committing to an order.
If you want to sanity-check a duty figure yourself, start from the heading rather than the product name — the WCO Harmonized System is the underlying nomenclature, and the WTO Tariff & Trade Data portal holds the applied rates by country pair.
On the air side, anything with a cell or a battery in it, plus liquids, powders, magnets and aerosols, is governed by the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations. Those articles are not refused outright, but they need to be declared at booking so the shipment is built correctly — declaring them late is the single most common cause of an air consignment being offloaded.
On the origin side, export declaration and any commodity inspection requirement fall under China Customs (GACC); we handle that filing as part of the service, but the requirement is theirs, not ours.
If this is your first shipment into Argentina, the Argentina Country Commercial Guide covers the practical import environment in more depth than a rate page reasonably can, and it is written by a party with no stake in your booking.
China to Argentina — Shipping Reference Data
| Main air gateways | EZE (Buenos Aires Ezeiza), COR (Córdoba) |
|---|---|
| Destination customs authority | Dirección General de Aduanas (ARCA) |
| De-minimis / duty-free threshold | USD 400 for courier consignments under the simplified regime |
| Import tax & duty regime | IVA 21% plus a 10.5% IVA perception and income-tax perception; Mercosur common external tariff of 0–35% |
| Local currency | ARS |
| Typical clearance / dwell time | 5–12 days |
| Peak / busy season | Sep–Nov |
| Conformity & certification | Import declaration (SEDI) required before shipment for most goods; safety certification for electrical products |
Thresholds and duty bands are buyer-planning references, not formal customs rulings — confirm the exact HS-code rate for your goods before shipping.
Free 3D Loading Tools for This Air Route
This page covers a Air freight service from China to Argentina. Use the matching tool below to plan your cargo before requesting a quote.
3D Carton Packing Calculator
Dimensional weight often decides the final air rate to Argentina. Simulate your carton fill in 3D, including mixed products in one box, and export the packing plan for your supplier.
Open Packing Tool →Argentina Air Freight Checklist
- Compare volumetric weight (L×W×H÷6000) with actual weight — the higher one is billed.
- Shrink-wrap and corner-protect cartons — air cargo is transloaded multiple times.
- Book 2-3 days before your target ETD; same-day air bookings usually carry premium rates.
- Confirm whether the Argentina rate includes fuel and security surcharges or lists them separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does Air DDP Door-to-Door from China to Argentina take?
Air freight on this route runs about 5–10 business days door-to-door, plus roughly 5–12 days of clearance/dwell once it reaches the gateway. All times include customs clearance under DDP terms.
What duties and taxes apply when importing into Argentina?
Clearance is handled by Dirección General de Aduanas (ARCA). The regime is: IVA 21% plus a 10.5% IVA perception and income-tax perception; Mercosur common external tariff of 0–35%, with a de-minimis position of USD 400 for courier consignments under the simplified regime. Under DDP these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival.
What does DDP shipping to Argentina include on this route?
DDP means we quote the freight, the customs entry with Dirección General de Aduanas (ARCA) and last-mile delivery in Argentina together, so you settle once. The duty and tax portion depends on your product's HS code, declared value and the exchange rate at entry, so it is confirmed against your actual goods — the figures on this page are indicative and can move either way.
Which ports or airports does this route use into Argentina?
Sea cargo to Argentina clears through Buenos Aires, Zárate, Rosario; air freight clears via EZE (Buenos Aires Ezeiza), COR (Córdoba). We route through whichever gateway gives the fastest onward delivery to your address and build it into the DDP price.
In what currency is this route priced and paid?
Freight is quoted and invoiced in USD; the destination-side currency is ARS. Payment is typically due before departure, and DDP means you settle the full landed cost once.
What documents are required for customs clearance in Argentina?
Dirección General de Aduanas (ARCA) typically requires a commercial invoice with HS codes, a packing list, the bill of lading/air waybill, a certificate of origin (may lower duty), and any product certification (Import declaration (SEDI) required before shipment for most goods; safety certification for electrical products). We file these under DDP.
Inland Delivery Coverage — Argentina
We deliver beyond the arrival gateway. Each city below has its own destination guide covering the gateway it clears through, typical inland transit time and the local customs picture.
Note — these are reference guides, not quotes. The city pages describe routing, gateways and clearance for each destination. They do not carry rate tables. For pricing to any city listed here, use the rate table on this page or ask us for a quote.
- Zarate EZE air / Zarate sea inland +1 day Guide only — no rates
- Buenos Aires EZE air / Buenos Aires sea inland same day Guide only — no rates
- Cordoba COR air / Buenos Aires sea inland +1 day Guide only — no rates
- Rosario EZE air / Rosario sea inland +1 day Guide only — no rates
- Mendoza MDZ air / Buenos Aires sea inland +2 days Guide only — no rates
- La Plata EZE air / La Plata sea inland same day Guide only — no rates
- Mar del Plata EZE air / Mar del Plata sea inland +1 day Guide only — no rates
Shipping Argentina cargo by industry
This rate is for the lane. What decides whether the cargo arrives intact is the commodity — how it prices, how it must be packed and loaded, and which compliance step holds it at the border. These guides cover that per industry.
- 5G Equipment Telecom, Computing & Data Centre
- Headphones Consumer Electronics & Smart Devices
- Home Furniture Furniture & Home Products
- Garden Products Furniture & Home Products
- Footwear Textiles, Apparel, Footwear & Leather
- Medical Furniture Medical, Laboratory & Precision Instruments
- Display Stands Retail, Display & Commercial Fixtures
- Toys Toys, Sports, Outdoor & Leisure
- Baby Products Consumer Goods & Gifts
- Bathroom Accessories Consumer Goods & Gifts
- E-commerce Fulfilment E-commerce & Retail Channels
- Bearings Metal Products & Industrial Components