<p>Potted kalanchoe plants are typically irrigation suspension before shipment to prevent water leakage and reduce transport weight. This study aimed to determine the optimal irrigation suspension period that maintains plant quality. The quality and shelf life of potted kalanchoe plants (<i>Kalanchoe blossfeldiana</i> ‘Nobel’) were analyzed based on irrigation suspension durations of 0, 1, 2, and 3 weeks prior to transport, followed by simulated export distribution processes. The substrate water content for the 1-week treatment was 27.5% lower than the control; however, the shelf life of these plants was 19.4 d, not significantly different from the control group’s shelf life of 17.0 d. In contrast, shelf life decreased by 66% and 88% for the 2- and 3-week treatments, respectively. At the consumer stage, plant height, and width showed no significant differences between the control and 1-week treatments. However, the 2-week treatment resulted in reduced dimensions. The flowering rate before the transport stage was higher in the 2-week treatment than in the control and 1-week treatments but the flowering rate compared to shipment decreased at the auction stage. Fresh and dry weights of roots declined with longer irrigation suspension periods before the transport stage. Chlorophyll content in leaves was similar between the control and 1-week treatment at the auction and consumer stages, but it was lower than the control in the 2- and 3-week treatments. Fv/Fm values were consistently lower in the irrigation suspension treatments than in the control before the transport stage. No significant differences were observed in the rate of change in stomatal size across different treatments and distribution stages. Petal temperature was higher in the 2- and 3-week treatments compared to the control and 1-week treatment before the transport stage. Among the morphological characteristics of potted kalanchoe plants before the transport stage, plant height (<i>r</i> = − 0.4*), number of flower buds (<i>r</i> = 0.6***), and flowering rate (<i>r</i> = − 0.5**) were significantly correlated with shelf life. Additionally, shelf life was strongly correlated with both petal (<i>r</i> = − 0.5***) and leaf (<i>r</i> = − 0.4*) temperatures. In conclusion, suspending irrigation for 1-week before the transport stage did not adversely affect shelf life or plant quality. Therefore, potted kalanchoe plants can undergo a 1-week irrigation suspension (substrate water content ≥ 50%) before export without compromising quality.</p>