Amazon adds to China-U.S. air freight offering
Amazon is expanding its air freight services between China and the U.S., with two additional options available to sellers on its Amazon Global Logistics program. Last week the company announced the new offerings to sellers, touting them as ways to get products back on shelves faster, gain more control over how stock is distributed and save on transportation costs.
The two services target different shipping priorities allowing businesses to choose between faster delivery or more economical air freight.
Air SMP enables regional inventory distribution
Air SMP allows sellers to divide their inventory in China before dispatch and send shipments directly to fulfillment centers across five U.S. regions. The service operates daily flights from Shanghai and Hong Kong, with estimated transit times of seven to 10 days following pickup.
For sellers using Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), the service does not carry an inbound placement fee. Amazon also confirmed that shipments of apparel, electronics and products containing lithium batteries are not subject to additional surcharges under this offering.
The service builds on Amazon’s existing Seller Managed Placement (SMP) capabilities, which already include ocean freight options. By allocating stock across regional destinations before it leaves the country of origin, businesses can distribute products more strategically among fulfillment centers and better position inventory closer to customers.
Economy Air offers a lower-cost alternative
The second option, Economy Air, is designed for businesses seeking to reduce shipping expenses without switching to ocean freight. Amazon says its rates are lower than those of the standard air freight service offered through Amazon Global Logistics.
Shipments moving from Shanghai or Shenzhen to Los Angeles have an estimated transit time of 11 to 15 days. That is slower than the standard service, for which typical transit times from Shanghai or Hong Kong to the United States are around seven days. However, Economy Air can still replenish inventory several weeks faster than ocean transportation, according to Amazon.
The company did not disclose specific prices for either new service in its announcement.
Supporting peak-season planning and stock recovery
Amazon said the two offerings are particularly suited to businesses preparing for peak shopping periods, recovering from stockouts or launching products with time-sensitive delivery requirements.
Both services are intended to give sellers more flexibility when ocean freight takes too long to meet inventory needs. More effective stock positioning has become an important focus for Amazon as it works to shorten delivery times for end customers.
The new options also expand the company’s broader logistics ambitions. Earlier this year, Amazon launched Amazon Supply Chain Services, a portfolio of logistics solutions that includes Amazon Global Logistics.
Through Amazon Global Logistics, businesses can arrange air and ocean freight shipments from China to the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union and Japan. The program also supports ocean freight shipments from Vietnam to the United States.
Amazon has continued to extend its transportation network beyond air and ocean freight. The company recently introduced a direct rail service under Amazon Global Logistics to move inventory from the U.S. West Coast to the East Coast more quickly.
Booking information available through Amazon Global Logistics
Sellers can access rates, service details and booking options for Air SMP and Economy Air through the Amazon Global Logistics program portal.
With these additions, Amazon is broadening the range of transportation solutions available to businesses shipping goods from China to the United States, offering a choice between faster regional distribution and lower-cost air freight for inventory planning throughout the year.
