Amazon has added two China-to-US air freight options to Amazon Global Logistics (AGL), its door-to-door freight service for sellers. The faster option, Air Seller Managed Placement (SMP), flies daily from Shanghai and Hong Kong to Amazon fulfillment centers in an estimated seven to 10 days.
Sellers split inventory by region in China before shipping. Cartons then fly to one designated fulfillment center in each of Amazon’s five US regions. Air SMP carries no FBA inbound placement fee and no surcharge for apparel, electronics or lithium batteries.
The second option, Economy Air, ships from Shanghai or Shenzhen to Los Angeles only. Transit takes 11 to 15 days, and costs less than standard AGL air freight. Amazon promotes both services for peak-season preparation, stockout recovery and time-sensitive product launches. Rates are available through the AGL portal.
The faster service has trade-offs. Sellers must ship at least five identical cartons per product, per EcomCrew. Splitting a shipment across five regions also means paying the fixed freight fee five times. Amazon recommends Air SMP for shipments exceeding 10 cubic meters.
The options come as air freight rates rise. Northeast Asia-to-North America spot rates averaged $6.03/kg in September, up 5% from August, per Xeneta. Amazon introduced SMP for ocean freight in mid-2025 and added Standard Ocean Express to the program last month, routing East Coast-bound shipments through Los Angeles for onward rail transport.
