Chinese air cargo transportation to Indian airports

Which airports in China provide international cargo air services to Indian airports?

Several major airports in China have opened direct or transit cargo air services to Indian international airports, covering major Indian cities such as New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, and Chennai. Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK), Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG), and Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN) serve as core hubs, providing high-frequency direct flights, such as Beijing to New Delhi (3 flights per week), Shanghai to Kolkata (3 flights per week), and Guangzhou to Bangalore (2 flights per week), transporting high-value-added electronic products, industrial raw materials, and fresh goods. Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport (SZX) provides direct flights to Mumbai via SF Express (3 flights per week), serving the export demand of the electronics industry in the Pearl River Delta. Ezhou Huahu Airport (EZH), as the first professional cargo hub in Asia, has become the core channel for China-India cargo with SF Express air-intensive routes (such as 3 flights per week to New Delhi) and 24-hour customs clearance capabilities. Regional airports such as Chengdu Shuangliu (CTU), Chongqing Jiangbei (CKG), and Hangzhou Xiaoshan (HGH) connect to the Indian market through direct flights or transfers, such as Chengdu to New Delhi (4 flights per week) and Hangzhou to Bangalore (2 flights per week). In addition, airports such as Xiamen Gaoqi (XMN) and Kunming Changshui (KMG) cooperate with Indian and domestic airlines to cover cities such as Kolkata and Chennai. For airports without direct flights such as Hefei, Nanjing, and Shenyang, goods can be transferred through hubs such as Shanghai and Ezhou, forming a cross-border logistics network that covers the whole country and has flexible delivery time (1-7 days).

Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK): Beijing Capital International Airport is located in Shunyi District, Beijing. It is a 4F-level international airport. As one of China's important aviation hubs, it has a large scale. It has strong throughput capacity in cargo transportation, providing strong support for domestic and foreign cargo transportation. Currently, there are many flights from the airport to India, including China International Cargo Airlines (CA) flight CA1033 (Beijing → New Delhi, 3 flights per week), and the Beijing-Mumbai (BOM) route (5 flights per week) in cooperation with Indigo Airlines, mainly transporting high value-added goods such as electronic products and mechanical parts.

Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG): Located in the Pudong New Area of Shanghai, Shanghai, Shanghai Pudong International Airport is one of the largest air cargo hubs in China, with 4F facilities and ranks among the top cargo airports in the world, with an annual cargo throughput of over 3.90 million tons. Its Indian routes cover cities such as Chennai (MAA) and Kolkata (CCU). Eastern Airlines Cargo (MU) has flight MU7157 (Shanghai → Kolkata, 3 flights per week), which focuses on transporting fresh food, pharmaceutical products, and industrial raw materials. Flight MU563 (Shanghai → Mumbai, 5 flights per week); UAE Airlines (EK) has flight EK3021 via Dubai, connecting Shanghai Pudong with multiple cities in India, with a frequency of 7 flights per week, meeting the needs of different customers for cargo transportation timeliness and destination diversity.

Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN): Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport is located in Baiyun District, Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province. It is a 4F-level civil international airport with an annual cargo volume of over 2 million tons and a large scale. Southern Cargo Airlines (CZ) operates CZ339 flights (Guangzhou → New Delhi, 6 flights per week) and CZ435 flights (Guangzhou → Cochin, 1 flight per week via Bangkok) connecting India, mainly serving the export of electronic products and cross-border e-commerce logistics needs, while supporting transit and distribution in South Asia.

Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport (SZX): Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport is located in Bao'an District, Shenzhen, relying on the advantages of the Pearl River Delta electronics industry, with an annual cargo throughput of 1.50 million tons. Its Indian cargo network is centered on the SF Express Airlines O3705 route (Shenzhen → Mumbai, 3 flights per week), which directly delivers consumer electronics goods; secondary destinations such as Nagpur (NAG) are transferred through Ezhou Huahu Airport and are undertaken by Air India flight AI6712 (2 flights per week).

Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport (CTU): Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport is located in Shuangliu District, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province. It is a 4F-class international airport and an important aviation hub in central and western China. From here, Air China (CA) flight CA425 (Chengdu → New Delhi, 4 flights per week).

Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport (CKG): Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport is located in Yubei District, Chongqing. It is a 4F-class civil international airport with a considerable scale and an annual cargo throughput of over 500,000 tons. Indian Spice Airlines (SG) operates SG102 (Chongqing → Mumbai, 3 flights per week), and Chongqing Airlines (OQ) operates OQ2363 flight from Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport, stopping in other cities and flying to India, with 3 flights per week.

Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport (HGH): Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport is located in Xiaoshan District, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province. It is a 4E-class civil transportation airport with a large scale. Departing from this airport, Indigo Airlines (6E) operates 6E7310 (Hangzhou → Bangalore, 2 flights per week), and Zhejiang Changlong Airlines (GJ) flight GJ8721 can arrive in India after transit, with 3 flights per week, which helps the trade between the Yangtze River Delta region and India.

Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport (XMN): Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport is located in Huli District, Xiamen City, Fujian Province, and is a 4E-class civil international airport. Indian Spicy Airlines (SG) operates SG103 (Xiamen → Kolkata, 2 flights per week), and Xiamen Airlines (MF) flies MF8709 from Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport to India after stopping in other cities, with 2 flights per week, providing air transportation support for exchanges between the southeast coast and India.

Kunming Changshui International Airport (KMG): Kunming Changshui International Airport is located in Guandu District, Kunming City, Yunnan Province. It is a 4F-class international airport with a large scale and is an important aviation hub in China facing South East Asia and South Asia. China Eastern Airlines (MU) operates flight MU5645 (Kunming → Kolkata, 4 flights per week), and Indigo Airlines (6E) operates flight 6E7311 (Kunming → Mumbai, 3 flights per week).

Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport (CGO): Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport is located in Xinzheng City, Zhengzhou City, Henan Province. It is a 4F-level international aviation hub with large-scale and advanced cargo facilities. Indigo Airlines (6E) operates 6E7311 (Kunming → Mumbai, 3 flights per week), and Southern Airlines (CZ) flies CZ6033 to India after transit, with 3 flights per week.

Ezhou Huahu Airport (EZH): Ezhou Huahu Airport is located in the Linkong Economic Zone of Ezhou City, Hubei Province. It is the first professional cargo hub in Asia with an annual cargo capacity of over 1.50 million tons, and international routes account for 70%. As the core node of China-India cargo, the airport operates SF Express flights O3710 (Ezhou → New Delhi, 3 flights per week), O3712 (Ezhou → Bangalore, 1 flight per week), and Indigo Airlines 6E450 route (Ezhou → Chennai, 3 flights per week), covering electronic products, fresh food, and cross-border e-commerce goods, and providing "7x24-hour customs clearance" and priority processing services for fresh food.

Changsha Huanghua International Airport (CSX): Changsha Huanghua International Airport is located in Changsha County, Changsha City, Hunan Province. It is a 4F-class international airport. Air China (CA) flight CA1755 flies from Changsha Huanghua International Airport to India after transit, with three flights per week.

Hefei Xinqiao International Airport (HFE): Hefei Xinqiao International Airport is located in Shushan District, Hefei City, Anhui Province. It is a 4E-class international airport with an annual cargo volume of about 150,000 tons. From here, China Eastern Airlines (MU) flight MU5657 can arrive in India after transit, with two flights per week.

Nanjing Lukou International Airport (NKG): Nanjing Lukou International Airport is located in Jiangning District, Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province. It is a 4F-class international airport with a large scale and plays an important role in air transportation in East China. China Eastern Airlines (MU) flight MU2815 flies from Nanjing Lukou International Airport to India after transit, with three flights per week.

Nanning Wuxu International Airport (NNG): Nanning Wuxu International Airport is located in Jiangnan District, Nanning City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. It is a 4E-class military-civilian international airport with moderate scale and unique advantages in air transportation to ASEAN and South Asia. Departing from the airport, China Southern Airlines (CZ) flight CZ6093 flies to India after transit, with two flights per week.

Shenyang Taoxian International Airport (HIS): Shenyang Taoxian International Airport is located in Hunnan District, Shenyang City, Liaoning Province. It is a 4E-class civil international airport with a large scale and an important aviation hub in the Northeast region. From here, China Southern Airlines (CZ) flight CZ6063 flies to India after transit, with two flights per week.

Jinan Yaoqiang International Airport (TNA): Jinan Yaoqiang International Airport is located in Licheng District, Jinan City, Shandong Province. It is a 4E-class civil international airport and its scale is constantly growing. Shandong Airlines (SC) flight SC4977 flies from Jinan Yaoqiang International Airport to India after transit, with two flights per week.

Which airlines offer cargo services from China to Indian airports?

Currently, many airlines are actively involved in cargo services from China to Indian airports. Air China (CA) transports high value-added goods from Beijing, Chengdu and other places; China Eastern Airlines (MU) covers many parts of India with routes based on cities such as Shanghai, with a rich variety of cargo categories; China Southern Airlines (CZ) has Guangzhou as its core, with high-frequency direct flights to New Delhi, and also has transit route services for e-commerce logistics. India's Indigo Airlines (6E) flies from Hangzhou, Kunming and other major cities in India; UAE Airlines (EK) connects Shanghai and many parts of India via Dubai; Blue Label Airlines (BZ) flies directly from Guiyang to New Delhi and Kolkata in India, promoting cargo exchanges.

Air China (CA) As the flagship airline of China, its route network covers the world and has strong strength. Flight CA947 flies directly from Beijing Capital International Airport to New Delhi, India, with 4 flights per week; Flight CA425 flies directly from Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport to New Delhi, India, with 4 flights per week; Flight CA1755 flies to India from Changsha Huanghua International Airport with 3 flights per week. In addition, Flight CA889 provides air transportation services from Shanghai to Mumbai, with a transfer through Beijing PEK. Flight D247 can accept pallets and needs to be operated 2 days in advance. These routes mainly transport high value-added goods such as electronic products and mechanical parts.

China Eastern Airlines (MU) : A large domestic backbone aviation enterprise that occupies an important position in the domestic and international aviation transportation market. Flight MU563 flies from Shanghai Pudong International Airport to Mumbai, India, with 5 flights per week; Flight MU7157 flies from Shanghai to Kolkata, India, with 3 flights per week; Flight MU5645 flies from Kunming Changshui International Airport to Kolkata, India, with 4 flights per week; Flight MU2815 flies from Nanjing Lukou International Airport to India after transit, with 3 flights per week; Flight MU5657 can arrive in India after transit from Hefei Xinqiao International Airport, with 2 flights per week. The types of exported goods include fresh food, pharmaceutical products, industrial raw materials, etc.

China Southern Airlines (CZ) : One of the leaders in the domestic air transport industry, with a wide range of routes. Flight CZ339 flies directly from Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport to New Delhi, India, with 6 flights per week; Flight CZ435 departs from Guangzhou and transfers to Cochin, India via Bangkok, with 1 flight per week; Flight CZ3504 provides air transportation services from Shanghai to New Delhi, with a transfer in Guangzhou CAN, and the second flight D1234567, with a total service of 2-3 days and pallets available; Flight CZ6033 flies from Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport to India after transfer, with 3 flights per week; Flight CZ6093 flies from Nanning Wuxuan International Airport to India after transfer, with 2 flights per week; Flight CZ6063 flies from Shenyang Taoxian International Airport to India after transfer, with 2 flights per week. The company's flights mainly serve the export of electronic products and cross-border e-commerce logistics needs.

Indigo Airlines (6E) : A well-known low-cost airline in India, operating actively on domestic and surrounding international routes. Flight 6E7310 flies from Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport to Bangalore, India, twice a week; Flight 6E7311 flies from Kunming Changshui International Airport to Mumbai, India, three times a week; Operates flight 6E450 from Ezhou Huahu Airport to Chennai, India, three times a week.

Indian Spicy Airlines (SG) : An influential airline in India with a wide range of routes. Flight SG102 carries out cargo missions from Chongqing to Mumbai, with three flights per week; Flight SG103 flies from Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport to Kolkata, India, with two flights per week; Its operated flight SG7331 flies from Kolkata, India to Ezhou Huahu Airport, planning to operate three flights per week. The export cargo is mainly electronic products, general cargo, and express delivery, and the import cargo is mainly general cargo.

UAE Airlines (EK) : A world-renowned high-quality airline with routes to all continents. Flight EK3021 connects Shanghai Pudong with multiple cities in India via Dubai, with a frequency of 7 flights per week, which can meet the needs of different customers for the timeliness and destination diversity of cargo transportation, and transport a variety of goods.

Zhongyuan Longhao Airlines (GL) : A rapidly developing cargo airline in China, committed to expanding domestic and foreign cargo routes. The Boeing 747-400 all-cargo aircraft belongs to the company, and previously operated the "Zhengzhou-New Delhi" international cargo route, with two flights per week. The cargo aircraft can carry 117 tons of cargo when fully loaded, and the nose and nose doors can be opened. The flight mileage is more than 8,200 kilometers, and it has a guarantee advantage when transporting unconventional cargo.

Blue Label Airlines (BZ) : Blue Label Airlines, as an Indian airline specializing in cargo, is headquartered in Chennai and occupies an important position in the Indian cargo aviation field. Flight BZ904 flies directly from Guiyang Longdongbao International Airport to New Delhi, India, every Monday and Thursday, with full cargo aircraft operation, supporting delivery to Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen; Flight BZ902 departs from Guiyang and arrives directly in Kolkata, India, with one flight every Wednesday, efficiently transporting goods to Kolkata, the industrial center of eastern India, mainly transporting e-commerce and manufacturing goods.

How long does it take for Chinese air cargo to arrive at South Korean airports?

The time limit for air freight from China to Indian airports is mainly determined by the type of flight, customs clearance process, and cargo characteristics. Direct flights usually arrive in one day, and the total time limit after standard customs clearance (1-3 days) is 2-4 days; transit routes require 1-3 days for transit connection, and the overall transportation time is extended to 4-8 days. Customs clearance efficiency is affected by the completeness of documents and the type of goods. Fresh drugs can be cleared within one day first, while missing documents or dangerous goods may cause delays of more than 5 days. During the holiday Diwali, if customs clearance or additional delays of 2-4 days occur, it is recommended to lock in a 1-day transportation time limit through freight forwarder committal hearing documents, priority booking, or charter services. In extreme cases, direct flights and pre-clearance can be compressed to 2 days. Multiple layovers and delays in remote areas may reach 8-10 days. It is necessary to plan the route in advance and prepare documents such as GST number to avoid risks.

1. Direct flight time

Direct flights fly directly from Chinese airports to Indian destination airports, with the shortest transportation time, usually only flight time (excluding customs clearance).

2. Transit flight time

Transit flights need to be transferred or collected by other airports, total time = direct flight time + transit stay time (usually increased by 1-3 days).

Transit time: If you choose a transit flight, the goods need to be unloaded and reloaded at the transit point, and may also face customs clearance inspections at the transit point. Usually, an additional 1-3 days of transit time is required, depending on the transit airport and flight arrangement. For example, if you depart from some non-major hub cities and transit through Bangkok, Dubai and other places to India, the waiting time for transit and cargo processing may vary from 1-3 days.

Total time: The overall transportation time is generally around 3-5 days, which is 4-6 hours for direct flights plus 1-3 days for transfers. However, if there are special circumstances such as flight delays during the transfer process, the time may be longer.

3. Clearance time (Indian customs)

Clearance is the process of passing through Indian customs after the goods arrive at the port, and the time is affected by the completeness of the documents and the type of goods.

4. Special circumstances affect

Holidays/peak season (such as Diwali): The risk of customs clearance delay increases by 2-4 days, and flight seats are tight and need to be booked 2 weeks in advance.

Special Goods :

• Dangerous goods (UN packaging certification): the total time is increased by 2-3 days (special project declaration is required).
• Perishable goods: full cold chain transportation, the time is shortened to 3 days, but the cost is increased by 30% -50%.

Freight forwarding advantages: real-time tracking, exception handling (such as customs detention), cost optimization (pooling to reduce freight).

• Pre-clearance service: Agents submit documents in advance, and the clearance time is shortened to within 1 day.
• Charter direct flight: fixed route (such as Zhengzhou → New Delhi GL cargo plane), time lock 1 day, suitable for large quantities of goods.
• Transit connection optimization: Agents prioritize booking flights with close connections to reduce transit stay time.

Summary

Total time = transportation time (direct flight/transit) + customs clearance time. The fastest case is a direct flight + fast customs clearance, which usually takes about 2 days; the slowest case is a transit flight + customs clearance delay, which may take 8 days or more. It is recommended to consult a freight forwarder or airline in advance when arranging cargo transportation to obtain more accurate transportation time and arrangements.

Direct flight + customs clearance: for example, Beijing → New Delhi (1 day flight + 1-3 days customs clearance), the total time is 2-4 days.

Transit + customs clearance: for example, Jinan → Kolkata (via Shanghai transit 2 days + customs clearance 3 days), the total time is 5-7 days.

In extreme cases :

• Fastest: Ezhou → New Delhi direct flight 1 day + pre-clearance 1 day → total delivery time 2 days (requires the use of proxy committal hearing documents).
• The slowest: transit in remote areas (such as Shenyang → Mumbai via Beijing/Shanghai) + customs clearance delay → total time 8-10 days.

What are the cargo charter flights from China to Indian airports?

China-India cargo charter flights cover major hubs such as Shanghai, Zhengzhou, Kunming and Xi'an. Etihad Cargo (EY256) flies directly from Shanghai to Chennai every Tuesday and Friday, using Boeing 777F freighters to transport electronic products and auto parts, providing temperature control technology and 4-hour fast customs clearance; Air India Cargo (AI349) flies from Shanghai to Delhi once a day, focusing on the transportation of machinery and equipment and chemicals; Luxembourg International Cargo Airlines (CV9876) flies directly from Zhengzhou to Delhi every Wednesday, relying on Boeing 747-400 to transport medical apparatus and cross-border e-commerce parcels. As the core route of the "Air Silk Road", it supports transit to North America. China Eastern Airlines Cargo (MU7691/2) flies from Kunming to Kolkata every Tuesday, transporting southwestern specialty products such as Guizhou tea by passenger-to-cargo Boeing 737-800, and providing DDU/DDP customs clearance services.

Airline information

Etihad Cargo (Etihad Cargo) : Departing from Shanghai (PVG), flight number EY256, frequency 2 times a week (Tuesday, Friday), sector PVG-MAA (direct).

Air India Cargo (Air India Cargo) : Departing from Shanghai (PVG), flight number AI349, frequency is 5 times a week (daily flight), segment is PVG-DEL (direct flight).

Luxembourg International Cargo Airlines (Cargolux) : departing from Zhengzhou (CGO), flight number CV9876, frequency is once a week (Wednesday), segment is CGO-DEL (non-stop).

China Eastern Cargo (China Eastern Cargo) : Departing from Kunming (KMG), flight number MU7691/2, frequency is once a week (Tuesday), flight segment is KMG-CCU (direct).

Sichuan Airlines Cargo (Sichuan Airlines Cargo) : Departing from Xi'an (XIY), flight number is 3U8385, the frequency is 2 times a week (Monday, Friday), and the flight segment is XIY-BOM (direct flight).

Ethiopian Air Cargo (Ethiopian Cargo) : Departing from Shanghai (PVG), flight number ET3.6, frequency is 3 times a week (Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday), the flight segment is PVG-DEL (direct flight).

Route introduction

Shanghai (PVG) - Chennai (MAA) EY256 : Electronic products, auto parts, textiles; 2 shifts per week (Tuesday, Friday); Boeing 777F; about 6 hours; 40-50 yuan/kg (1000KG +); resumed operation in 2024, focusing on serving the manufacturing industry in southern India, providing temperature-controlled transportation and 4-hour fast customs clearance.

Shanghai (PVG) - Delhi (DEL) AI349 : Machinery and equipment, chemical products, clothing; 5 flights per week (one flight per day); Boeing 777F; about 6 hours; 36-46 yuan/kg (300KG +); Air India's main routes, support two-way industrial product transportation, return carry pharmaceutical raw materials to China.

Zhengzhou (CGO) - Delhi (DEL) CV9876 : medical apparatus, precision instruments, cross-border e-commerce parcels; 1 flight per week (Wednesday); Boeing 747-400; about 7 hours; 34-44 yuan/kg (300KG +); "Air Silk Road" core route, cooperating with Zhengzhou Airport for "one order to the end" transit service, supporting transit to North America via Anchorage.

Kunming (KMG) - Kolkata (CCU) MU7691/2 : Garment accessories, machine parts, Guizhou tea; 1 shift per week (Tuesday); Boeing 737-800; about 4 hours; 30-40 yuan/kg (500KG +); resumed operation in 2021, using passenger-to-cargo flights to transport specialty products in Southwest China, providing DDU/DDP customs clearance services.

Xi'an (XIY) - Mumbai (BOM) 3U8385 : cloth rolls, mobile phone accessories, solar panels, chemicals; 2 shifts per week (Monday, Friday); Airbus A330-200F; about 7 hours; 38-48 yuan/kg (500KG +); opened in 2019, annual capacity exceeds 6000 tons, supporting dangerous goods transportation (advance declaration is required).

Shanghai (PVG) - Delhi (DEL) ET3.6 : computer keyboard, camera stand, PC board; 3 flights per week (Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday); Boeing 777F; about 6 hours; 36-46 yuan/kg (300KG +); Ethiopian Airlines direct flight route, take off in the early morning, support customs clearance on the same day, focus on serving the export of electronic products.

How much is the air freight price from China to India airport per kilogram?

From Shanghai Pudong to Delhi, the unit price of Air China for 100kg + cargo is 21.5 yuan, and the price for 1000kg + is reduced to 20 yuan. Air India's prices for the same weight range are slightly higher, at 23 yuan and 21.5 yuan respectively. From Guangzhou Baiyun to Mumbai, China Southern Airlines charges 24 yuan for 100kg + and 22.5 yuan for 1000kg +, while UAE Airlines charges about 2 yuan more for each weight range than China Southern Airlines. From Shenzhen Bao'an to Bangalore, China Eastern Airlines charges 22.5 yuan for 100kg + and 21 yuan for 1000kg +, while Qatar Airlines charges 25 yuan and 23.5 yuan for the same weight range, both reflecting the rule that the larger the cargo volume, the lower the unit price. Specific fees need to be confirmed with the airline for additional services.

China to India air freight price list (April 2025)

Price factors and industry trends

Route and Time :

• Direct flights: (such as Shanghai → Delhi, Guangzhou → Mumbai) are more expensive, but usually take 3-4 days;
• Transfer flights; (such as stopping in Dubai, Doha) the price is 10% -15% lower, but the time limit is extended to 5-7 days.

Industry trend : In 2025, Shenzhen → Chennai, Hangzhou → Hyderabad direct flights will be added, and the price will be reduced by 5% -8% compared with the transfer.

Weight Segments and Discounts :

• Goods weighing over 1000kg can enjoy a "package price", with some freight forwarders quoting as low as 14 yuan/kg (such as Shenzhen → Bangalore).
• Light bubble goods (volumetric weight > actual weight) are charged at 167kg/m³, and an additional volume surcharge is required.

Additional costs :

• Fuel surcharge: The current rate is 15% -20% of the freight (affected by international oil price fluctuations);
• Security check fee: 0.5-1 yuan/kg (higher at Shanghai and Shenzhen airports);
• Customs clearance fee: 500-1000 yuan/ticket (double clearance tax service is included).

Seasons and Supply :

• Peak season (April-June, October-December) : Prices will increase by 10% -20%, and cabins need to be booked 7 days in advance;
• Low season (July-September) : Some routes launch "ladder discounts", such as 1000kg + cargo can be reduced by 5%.