Must - read for air freight to Iceland in 2025! Introduction to prices and services at major Chinese airports

Multiple airports in China provide freight services to Iceland. Hong Kong, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Beijing and other cities have their own characteristics. Multiple airlines cooperate. The timeliness and price are affected by the goods. There are charter flights. Attention should be paid to customs clearance, embargo and special requirements.

Airports for air cargo services from China to Iceland

When shipping goods from China to Iceland, air freight services are commonly used to send goods to Iceland's main international airport, Keflavik International Airport (airport code: KEF). This is Iceland's main international airport and handles most international flights and cargo.
On the Chinese side, goods can be shipped from many major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, which have busy international airports and offer a large number of international freight services.

KEF is the only major freight import airport in Iceland. Please fill in KEF directly as the destination airport.
If the goods have high timeliness requirements, priority should be given to export airports with dense cargo flights, such as Shanghai (PVG), Hong Kong (HKG), Beijing (PEK), and Zhengzhou (CGO).
Iceland customs has strict import restrictions on animal and plant products, drugs, etc. It is necessary to understand the regulations in advance.
Since there is no direct cargo flight between China and Iceland, the whole transportation time may be long. It is recommended to reserve enough time.

Airlines for air cargo services from China to Iceland

Air freight services for goods from China to Iceland are usually operated by international airlines or cargo airlines. However, due to the relatively small volume of freight to Iceland, in most cases, transit through hub airports in Europe or North America is required. The following are the airlines that mainly provide air freight services from China to Iceland:

Time required for air cargo from China to Iceland airport

The transit time for air freight from China to Iceland is usually 3 to 7 days, depending on the mode of transport, flight schedules, cargo handling and customs clearance.

Domestic consolidation and transit time: It usually takes 1 to 3 days for goods to be collected from various parts of China and transported to the main transit hubs (such as Hong Kong, Shenzhen or Shanghai).
Flight time: The flight time from major airports in China (such as Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangzhou) to Reykjavik, Iceland, is usually about 24 hours for direct or connecting flights.
Customs clearance and delivery time: After the goods arrive in Iceland, customs clearance usually takes 1 to 3 working days, and the subsequent delivery time depends on the local logistics arrangement.

From Hong Kong: Air freight time is about 1 to 2 days, plus customs clearance and delivery, the total time is about 3 to 5 days.
From Shenzhen or Guangzhou: The total transit time is usually 5 to 7 working days.
Departing from Shanghai: The total transit time is approximately 5 to 7 days.

Flight schedule: There are few direct flights, and most flights require transit.
Customs clearance efficiency: Incomplete documentation or delays in destination processing may extend the customs clearance time.
Cargo type: Oversized or dangerous goods may require special handling.
China → Iceland Air Cargo Shipping Time Reference

Air freight charter flights from China to Iceland airport

China → Iceland Cargo Charter Flight Guide
1. Applicable scenarios
Emergency supplies: medical equipment, disaster relief supplies, high timeliness goods.
Bulk goods: mechanical equipment, auto parts, etc. with a single batch weight exceeding 20 tons.
Special requirements: temperature controlled cold chain, oversize goods (such as new energy batteries, precision instruments).
2. Common charter aircraft models and cargo capacity

3. Operating Procedures
Requirement confirmation: Provide details of the goods (weight/volume/type/aging).
Route approval: Record with CAAC (3-5 working days in advance), and obtain landing permit from Icelandic Transport Authority (handled by charter company).
Ground service: China needs to coordinate the security inspection of oversize cargo (e.g. lithium batteries need UN38.3 certification). Iceland arranges large cargo handling equipment at KEF airport in advance (e.g. special forklift trucks are needed for cargo over 20 tons).
Customs clearance assistance: The charter company usually provides door-to-door service (including Chinese export customs declaration + Icelandic import customs clearance).
4. Precautions
Traffic rights restrictions: There is no fifth freedom of the air between China and Iceland, and no goods can be carried on the way.
Weather risk: Iceland has many storms in winter, which may cause delays of 12 to 24 hours.
Alternative plan: It is recommended to reserve 1-2 European alternate airports (e.g. Oslo, Norway OSL).

Reference price for air freight from China to Iceland airport

The air freight price for shipping goods from China to Iceland will vary according to multiple factors, including but not limited to:
Weight and volume of the goods: Airlines usually calculate the freight based on the price per kilogram, and also consider the volumetric weight (i.e. length x width x height / 6000) to determine the chargeable weight.
Type of goods: Different types of goods may have different rates, especially for special items such as dangerous goods, perishable goods, etc.
Origin and destination: Different departure cities and arrival airports may have different fee standards.
Service type: whether it includes services such as pick-up at the door, customs declaration, insurance, customs clearance and delivery at the destination port, etc.
Seasonal demand: During peak shipping seasons, prices may increase.
Air Freight Rates from China to Iceland (June 30, 2025)

The following is the reference price for air freight from major Chinese airports to Icelandic airports in June 2026 (in US dollars):