Page 29 - Chinese International Airmail to 1949

1.4 Services to North America

1.4.1 Internal Acceleration by Air Mail

This earliest trans‑Pacific air mail was not introduced until April 1937. Prior to then, mail could be sent by air within
China or within North America, or both. The main ports for surface mail leaving China were Shanghai and Hong
Kong, and the entry ports into the USA were San Francisco and Seattle.

Seattle

Shanghai San Francisco

Hong Kong

Singapore
CNAC

PAA FAM 14

Internal US

Surface

1.4. Pre-World War II Trans-Pacific routes from China to North America.

Before the PAA FAM 14 Clipper service, the rate to be prepaid was made up of three elements: the international
surface; plus the internal Chinese air mail surcharge if used; plus the American air mail internal surcharge if used.
The frequency of the Clipper flights varied over time, but was typically once a week. The flights went from Hong
Kong or Singapore to San Francisco via Manila, Guam, Wake Island, Midway Island and Honolulu.

1.4.1. Accelerated Surface Mail 1.4.2. Pan Am Clipper
(a) International Surface (c) Air within USA Start date Clipper Surface Air
Start date surf 20g Start date per ½oz per 15g per 5g Connection first 20g per 5g
1 Jul 1931 0.25 1 Dec 1931 0.50 28 Apr 1937 Hong Kong 0.25 0.95
1 Jun 1935 0.20 1 Jul 1933 0.54 1 Sep 1939 Hong Kong 0.50 1.90
1 Feb 1936 0.25 19 Mar 1935 0.43 1 Nov 1939 HK or Singapore 0.50 3.75
1 Sep 1939 0.50 1 Jun 1935 0.35 1 Nov 1941 HK or Singapore 1.00 5.90
1 Nov 1941 1.00 1 Feb 1936 0.45 5 Dec 1941 route ceased
16 Dec 1941 route ceased 19 Apr 1939 0.15
1 Sep 1939 0.30 An additional fee of 25c per 20g (per 10g from
(b) Air within China 1 Nov 1939 0.65 1 Feb 1941) was payable if the Chinese internal
km per Zone Unit g Per step 1 Nov 1941 0.80 air mail service to Hong Kong was used.
1 Dec 1931 1,000 20 0.15 16 Dec 1941 route ceased
1 Feb 1933 1,000 20 0.25
1 Mar 1936 n/a 20 0.25
1 Feb 1941 n/a 10 0.25
16 Dec 1941 route ceased