Would you say a parcel sent by airmail would take at least a fortnight to get there? Or less?
I posted 12 days ago and wondered if it may have got lost.
It is not registered but I have a receipt of postage.
I think it typically takes 2 weeks for a parcel to get to the states, I know RM say 7-10 days. It could be just stuck in customs. As long as you put your return address on it, if they can’t deliver it to the recipient it should make its way back to you. I’d give it another week before worrying too much. 
Hi Teresa, 2 weeks to America is probably about normal, its difficult to say as it arrives in a timely fashion to the US but can get stuck in customs. I have sent with tracking and it doesn’t help at all, I now just send via airmail and its fine.
I have a couple of days or more yet then good thanks.
I am hoping airmail would be just fine too and have a few more days so good thanks.
Thank you both for your replys. I was wondering how long it would take by airmail as the PO counter staff said it would take 5 days!
I have 4 more bags to send as it was a commission and so they should hopefully get there easily and safely too!
I had a package recently that took 3 weeks to get to Madrid, so 2 weeks to the US sounds quite fast! Like you, I was really concerned it had got lost, but it eventually turned up safe and sound. Most packages to the US I’ve found take anywhere from 2-4 weeks depending on the state and which customs they go through.
So it is not just the time getting there, customs can take a while too. I didn’t know that thank you for your reply. smile
Yes Teresa customs is the place things really do get held up even when they are below their $200 limit they still have to be checked and then get sent to the correct sorting centre.
The royal mail times are really for estimated time to arrive at the USA customs hub.
I regularly send to the US and quote 7-14 days, but the average is nearer the 7 end. Around 9 is about right for a normal delivery. But I have had one parcel take 21 days. That’s the longest, and that was a one off. So at 12 days I think it’s still within a reasonable delivery time for the US. anything beyond 14 and I’d call that delayed but probably still on it’s way. I can’t actually believe the post office quote 5 days for the US, I might have had one or two hit that, some are 7, most are around 9 and even then the customers praise the quick delivery, so why not just up that quoted timescale by a few days.
Jo
Hi, just to add my tuppence-worth!
As @JoSara says, packages can take a good week to fortnight to arrive, sometimes even three weeks. I’ve had one parcel take four weeks (over Christmas 2013, when Customs had a big security thing going on). Usually, depending on the part of USA, a package takes five to ten days to arrive, but Customs really is a big factor and can cause lengthy delays.
I tell my Stateside customers to allow at least three weeks for delivery, though I also say the UK Post Office target is 5-7 working days. I tell them that the package may be delayed, if US Customs wish to examine it. This makes it as clear as possible, that the delay could occur at Customs - and that therefore I can’t make it get there any faster!
I’m sure your package will turn up fairly soon, but it is frustrating, waiting around for that message from a customer, to confirm safe delivery.
Good luck!
Lizzie
So should really take into account customs time too Eileen Thanks
So it is all to do with customs and how long they take Jo, The time seems to vary quite a bit. Thank you Jo
I have told my customer to expect longer because of customs. I did not know they they may have to examine parcel that adds time too! Thanks Lizzie
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You’re welcome Teresa. I also sell “on the other side” and we had long discussions in our bookbinders’ group, all about delays in post etc. The USA people explained about their customs - they seem to be very strict.
Apparently though, the Customs checks in Canada and Australia are also stringent, so do expect possible delays when sending there also.
I think there is some extra security thing going on. My parcels to USA usually arrive with the customer in about 7-10 days. But I just sent one to Canada and it took over three weeks to be delivered, even though it was in Canada within 48 hours.
Ooo… thanks for the warning, it’s worth knowing these things, as it does help to set customer expectations.
Items sent via a courier service are considerably quicker but cost a great deal more. If your client wants it very quickly that may be an option as they seem to have their own custom clearance houses. I had a client with an urgent request I sent it via courier they specify when it will arrive and it arrived on that day.
I have sent an item to the US the same day as one to Australia, The Australian one was there in a week and the US arrived in 3 you just can’t tell.