Lunar New Year 2026 Shipping Guide

January 26, 2026

Lunar New Year 2026 - The Year of the Horse

This article discusses preparing for office and factory closures during the 2026 Lunar New Year. Planning for these closures can aid in managing shipping schedules efficiently for your global supply chain.

What is Lunar New Year (often referred to as Chinese New Year)?

Chinese New Year or Spring Festival, as it is often called, is the Lunar New Year, which celebrates the beginning of the traditional Chinese lunar calendar. It is celebrated in many countries throughout Asia, not only in China but also in Singapore, Hong Kong, and more. In Vietnam, for example, the holiday is called Tet, the full name is "Tet Nguyen Dan".

When is Lunar New Year 2026?

Lunar New Year 2026 begins Tuesday, February 17, 2026. Many manufacturers and logistics providers across Asia reduce operations around this period, with earlier slowdowns and later ramp-ups common depending on location and industry.

Key Lunar New Year dates (2026)

Lunar New Year’s Eve: Monday, February 16, 2026
Lunar New Year’s Day: Tuesday, February 17, 2026
Lantern Festival: Tuesday, March 3, 2026

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How Lunar New Year Impacts Freight and Logistics?

Lunar New Year affects nearly every part of the logistics chain, from production scheduling to last-mile delivery.

Common supply chain impacts

Factory shutdowns & reduced output (production lead times extend)
Tight trucking capacity for drayage, cross-border moves, and port recovery
Air freight constraints: fewer allocations, higher rates, longer uplift times
Ocean freight disruption: vessel schedule changes, blank sailings, and rolled cargo risk
Port and terminal congestion in the pre-holiday rush and post-holiday recovery
Customs clearance delays due to reduced staffing and backlog processing

If your freight moves through Asia manufacturing hubs, this is the time to lock in bookings, confirm cutoffs, and build a buffer into your inbound and outbound timelines.

Recommended Shipping Timeline (Air + Ocean)

Lunar Chinese New Year To reduce risk during Lunar New Year peak season, plan around cutoffs, production completion dates, and port/airport congestion.

Best-practice planning windows

Ocean Freight (FCL/LCL): book and position cargo 3–5 weeks before Lunar New Year, where possible
Air Freight: secure space 2–3 weeks before Lunar New Year for critical SKUs
Final trucking/drayage to port: expect tight capacity in the 10–14 days leading into the holiday
Post-holiday recovery: plan for 1–2+ weeks of backlog and longer transit variability

If you have time-sensitive inventory, consider splitting shipments (partial early ocean + air top-up) or reserving expedited air options.

Where Disruption Is Most Common?

Lunar New Year disruption is typically concentrated in major manufacturing corridors and key freight gateways.

High-impact regions and gateways (commonly affected)

Greater China manufacturing and export corridors and major air/ocean gateways
Southeast Asia (including Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia), where holiday schedules and factory slowdowns can overlap with regional capacity constraints
North Asia (Korea/Japan), where production schedules may be adjusted based on supplier networks
India's supply chains that depend on components originating from China and Southeast Asia

If your shipments route through major regional gateways or connect through transshipment hubs, plan for schedule volatility and additional lead time

What You Can Do Now (Shipper Checklist)

Use this checklist to protect your service levels and avoid rolled cargo, missed ETDs, and production downtime.

Pre-holiday freight checklist

Confirm supplier closure dates and last production day
Validate cargo ready date and align with booking cutoffs
Pre-book air freight allocations or priority uplift
Confirm ocean sailing schedules and plan for potential blank sailings
Build buffer for drayage/trucking, especially near ports/airports
Review incoterms, PO timelines, and vendor management cadence
Prioritize SKUs for expedited freight if stockout risk is high
Prepare documentation early to reduce customs brokerage delays

Time Critical Freight Options

When Lunar New Year shutdowns and capacity constraints threaten your delivery commitments, Time Critical shipping can keep your supply chain moving.

When to use Time Critical

Production line down risk or shutdown avoidance
Missed vessel cutoffs or rolled cargo
High-value / high-priority shipments (servers, semiconductors, aerospace, medical, critical spares)
Contractual delivery deadlines with penalties
Launch timelines, events, or urgent replenishment Time Critical services that can protect your timeline
Next Flight Out (NFO) and priority uplift
On Board Courier (OBC / hand-carry) for the fastest possible transit
Charter solutions (part charter or full charter) for extreme urgency
Direct-to-linehaul expedited air freight with proactive milestone tracking
Time-definite door-to-door coordination, including pickup, export, customs, and final delivery

What you get with a Time Critical plan

Fast routing with contingency options if schedules change
Active shipment monitoring and exception management
Rapid escalation path when capacity is constrained
End-to-end coordination across pickup, airport handling, uplift, customs clearance, and delivery

If you have urgent cargo around Lunar New Year 2026, ask about Time Critical availability early. Capacity for expedited solutions tightens quickly in the final weeks before the holiday.