Air Freight Rates Between Asia and Europe on the Rise Again
At the beginning of 2026, a clear movement is apparent in the air freight market. Rates on key Asia-Europe routes are increasing again. The main drivers of this development are particularly e-commerce shipments and high-quality electronic products from East Asia.
Market observers report a significantly higher demand for express and premium capacities. Shipping models with short delivery times are gaining further importance. Retailers and manufacturers are increasingly relying on air freight to keep inventory levels low and respond quickly to market fluctuations.
At the same time, supply remains limited. Available belly capacity from passenger traffic is still constrained. Although flight offerings have stabilized compared to previous years, they are insufficient to fully accommodate the additional demand. This directly impacts price trends.
Routes from China, Hong Kong, and South Korea to Central Europe are particularly affected. On these routes, forwarders and airlines are reporting rising spot rates as well as high load factors for time-sensitive shipments. Charter solutions are also experiencing increased demand.
Analysts expect that price pressure will persist at least in the short term. In addition to e-commerce, product cycles in the electronics industry also play a role. New generations of devices regularly create demand spikes that quickly manifest in the air freight market.
Facts, Lists, Evidence
Increase in air freight rates on key East-West routes in January 2026.
High demand for express and premium services from the e-commerce sector.
Electronics and high-tech goods are among the main drivers.
Limited belly capacities from passenger traffic.
Increasing use of charter flights on Asia-Europe routes.
For Freight Portal Users
What does this mean in practice?
Shippers need to recalculate their transportation costs and secure capacities early. Short-term bookings will become more expensive.
Forwarders benefit from high demand but face pressure to guarantee reliable transit times. Transparency and active customer communication will become more important.
Consumers will feel the development indirectly. Quickly available consumer goods remain in demand but may include higher logistics costs.
An additional aspect is the shift between modes of transport. Rising air freight rates make sea freight or combined solutions more attractive again for less time-sensitive goods.
Sources
Aircargonews.net
Drewry.co.uk
Reuters.com
