Transit time to Houston: published ranges by origin port
Port to port, from Airlift's lane guides. Pair pages run from Shanghai, Ningbo, Shenzhen and Ho Chi Minh and 9 more into Houston (USHOU). Rows marked as booked are pairs Airlift's bookings report lists among the biggest on their lane.
| From | To | Planning range | Lane |
|---|---|---|---|
| AntwerpBEANR | Houston USHOU | 20–28 days | Belgium to USA |
| GenoaITGOA | Houston USHOU | 20–30 days | Italy to USA |
| LivornoITLIV | Houston USHOU | 22–33 days | Italy to USA |
| ShanghaiCNSGH | Houston USHOU | 28–38 days | China to USA |
| NingboCNNBO | Houston USHOU | 29–40 days | China to USA |
| ShenzhenCNSNZ | Houston USHOU | 30–42 days | China to USA |
| Ho Chi MinhVNSGN | Houston USHOU | 32–40 days | Vietnam to USA |
| Laem ChabangTHLCH | Houston USHOU | 33–41 days | Thailand to USA |
| Hai PhongVNHPH | Houston USHOU | 34–42 days | Vietnam to USA |
| VitóriaBRVIX · booked | Houston USHOU | 38–57 days | Brazil to USA |
| PipavavINPAV | Houston USHOU | 39–46 days | India to USA |
| Nhava ShevaINNSA · booked | Houston USHOU | 40–57 days | India to USA |
| ChennaiINMAA | Houston USHOU | 44–73 days | India to USA |
| MundraINMUN · booked | Houston USHOU | 44–66 days | India to USA |
Planning ranges from Airlift's lane guides, port to port; not guaranteed durations. Confirm the routing and the sailing when you request a quote. 2 more pairs are listed on the port pages above.
Lane guides into Houston
Each lane guide covers the origin ports, what ships on the lane, the US customs paperwork and a quote form; the pair count is the number of port-pair pages landing at Houston (USHOU).
Also serving Houston: Belgium to USA, Italy to USA, Bangladesh to USA, Sri Lanka to USA, Cambodia to USA, Indonesia to USA. See every origin on shipping to the USA by country of origin.
Where the containers come in
Port Houston runs two container terminals, Barbours Cut Container Terminal in La Porte and Bayport Container Terminal in Pasadena. The port requires an Express Pass appointment for every trucker using them, and trucking companies start their transactions in Lynx, the port's customer portal, before arriving; access outside normal hours is by extended-gate request.
Texas issues an annual permit for continuously sealed containers moving within 30 miles of Barbours Cut, the IH-610 terminals, Bayport and Freeport. It is not valid on the Interstate system, so for stone, tile and other dense cargo the route matters as much as the weight, and a tri-axle chassis may still be needed. Tell us the gross weight when you book.
- Barbours Cut Container Terminal, La Porte
- Bayport Container Terminal, Pasadena
- George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) for air freight
Port pages: Houston (USHOU), sailings. Look up any port's code in the port code finder.
After the gate: Houston, Dallas–Fort Worth and the south-central states
Drayage from both terminals is arranged through contracted motor carriers, with chassis from pools, leasing companies or the trucker and charged by the day. Containers for Dallas–Fort Worth, San Antonio, Austin and Oklahoma are trucked from Houston or transloaded at a partner warehouse into a domestic trailer. Airlift arranges the move as a broker; it owns no trucks or warehouses in Texas.
Airlift USA has been in business since 1999 and is an FMC-licensed NVOCC (FMC No. 016162), not a customs broker: the customs entry is filed through its licensed customs-broker network, and US trucking is arranged as a non-asset, FMCSA-licensed property broker through contracted motor carriers. Not enough cargo to fill a container? See LCL ocean freight; for a tight deadline, international air freight.
Shipping to Houston: FAQs
Port to port, Airlift's lane guides list Vitória to Houston at 38–57 days, Nhava Sheva to Houston at 40–57 days, Mundra to Houston at 44–66 days, Ennore to Houston at 45–80 days and Kolkata to Houston at 54–88 days, as planning ranges, not guaranteed durations. The actual time depends on the carrier, the routing and any transshipment, so confirm the sailing when you request a quote.
Other US destinations
See every destination on shipping to the USA by destination port and city, or browse Airlift's shipping route guides.
Transit ranges: Airlift's lane guides, as published on the linked pair pages. Port codes: UNECE UN/LOCODE 2024-2; CBP Schedule D. Schedule counts: the Sealanes snapshot on the linked port pages. Terminal, chassis and rail facts: the port authorities' published rules, as cited on our container drayage page. Reviewed October 2026.
Request a quote: shipping to Houston
Include the origin port or city, the delivery address, the commodity, and either the package count with weights and dimensions or the container size and count. Add the cargo-ready date and say whether you need pickup at origin, customs clearance or US delivery. We reply with the freight rate, the destination charges and the services included.