Rain Man

How does the USPS go about shipping packages that arrive from overseas? I'm assuming that the shipping option I choose at some place like Amazon UK only determines how fast it'll take to get from the UK to US borders.. so since I'm in CA, it'll arrive in the east coast.. but what method of shipping does the USPS use to get that package from the east coast to CA? Judging from experience, it seems awfully slow.

btbrossard

It is my understanding that if you select "AirMail" when shipping to the US that that mail travels by Air in the US as well.

I have ordered a number of packages from Australia and have always selected "Australian Post AirMail" as the delivery option. They have always arrived with USPS "AirMail" stickers within 4-5 days.

The USPS website also lists that international AirMail always travels by Air in the US when possible (must have visible "AirMail" or "ParAvion" stickers).

However, if the mail arrives in the US as economy mail it travels by surface methods and has a 4-6 week delivery timetable.

The pricing does not make much sense. For example, I looked up the price for international mail to Australia.

Economy (4-6 weeks) was $21.50

AirMail (4-6 days) was $14.50

/Benjamin

marty888

Why would we assume that a package from the UK to California would be put on a flight to the east coast? There are indeed direct flights from the UK to California.