Amazon Air: Routes, capacities and new strategies

Fleet composition and operators

Amazon Air’s fleet as of December 2024 comprises 104 aircraft operated by nine carriers. These operators, including Atlas Air, ATSG and Sun Country Airlines, enable Amazon to maintain flexibility while avoiding the capital-intensive proposition of owning aircraft outright. Among the operators, ATI leads with 44 aircraft, followed by ASL Airlines Ireland and Atlas Air with 14 each.

Figure 1 – Amazon Air Fleet Count by Operator (as Dec 02.)

Aircraft types and distribution

Of the 104 aircraft, 63 are Boeing 767s, which serve as the backbone of the medium-widebody operations, complemented by 30 Boeing 737NGs and smaller numbers of 737 Classics and Airbus A330s. The A330s, operated by Hawaiian Airlines, represent a newer addition to the fleet, and are being integrated to expand inter-hub and transcontinental capabilities. Notably, the fleet’s medium-widebody aircraft — 767s and A330s — make up 70% of Amazon Air’s total capacity.

Monthly flight distribution

Data from the past three months reveals consistent growth in flight operations. The Boeing 767 fleet, operating primarily out of hubs like Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG), conducted an average of 178 flights per month, while the Boeing 737NG fleet executed 239 monthly flights on average. These figures highlight Amazon Air’s balanced utilization of its fleet for medium- and short-haul operations to meet the diverse logistical demands of its network.

Table 1 – Amazon Air’s 3-month Average Flight Characteristics

Route analysis, hub dominance

Amazon Air’s operational network is centered around its primary hub at CVG, which accounts for 17% of all flights within the network. In 2019, Amazon broke ground on the Amazon Air Hub, an 800,000-square-foot facility designed to support its growing air cargo network. Located to connect more closely to customers nationwide, the hub represents a $1.5 billion investment in the Northern Kentucky region.
Secondary hubs such as Wilmington (ILN), Fort Worth (AFW) and San Bernardino (SBD) also play crucial roles, facilitating regional distribution and connecting major markets.

Dashboard 1 – Routes for Amazon Air

High-frequency routes, including CVG to New York (JFK) and Wilmington to San Francisco (SFO), exceeded 150 flights each over the three-month period. These routes represent critical arteries in Amazon’s middle-mile logistics strategy. While many routes are high-frequency, a significant portion of regional and less-trafficked routes of less than100 flights indicate balanced distribution for coverage and service in the U.S.
Capacity analysis by origin

CVG leads the network in terms of both flight frequency and capacity, measured in tonnes available from origin, handling 138,704 tonnes during the past three months. This is more than double the capacity of ILN, the next-largest hub, which is at 52,069 tonnes. Other significant hubs include AFW with 49,036 tonnes and SBD with 44,035 tonnes, which collectively reinforce Amazon Air’s focus on key regional and national markets.

Dashboard 2 – Capacity in Tonnes by Routes

Mid-level hubs, such as Chicago (RFD) and Ontario (ONT), contribute between 32,000 and 36,000 tonnes, showing their importance in Amazon’s regional operations. Smaller flight origins, like Atlanta (ATL) and Phoenix (PHX), fulfil niche or regional demands with capacities under 16,000 tonnes.

Aircraft transitions, operational shifts

One of the most significant operational changes in Amazon Air’s strategy is the transfer of eight Boeing 737-800BCFs from Atlas Air to Sun Country Airlines. This underscores Amazon’s focus on optimizing its narrowbody freighter operations under a streamlined crew, maintenance and insurance (CMI) model. By consolidating narrowbody operations under Sun Country Airlines, Amazon enhances its operational efficiency while adapting to Atlas Air’s shift away from certain Amazon CMI operations.

This transfer expands Sun Country’s freighter fleet to 20 aircraft, making it Amazon’s sole narrowbody freighter CMI operator in the Americas. The transition is set to be completed by late 2025, aligning with Amazon’s long-term objectives of fleet modernization and operational cost control.
Third-party cargo services: opportunities and challenges

Amazon Air’s decision to offer third-party cargo services marks a milestone in its business. By utilizing excess capacity, Amazon can generate additional revenue while competing directly with established players like FedEx and UPS.

The introduction of third-party services aligns with Amazon Air’s long-term goal of maximizing asset utilization. This move also helps the company capitalize on the growing demand for air cargo services across industries. However, during peak seasons, third-party freight may be deprioritized in favor of Amazon’s core parcel needs, posing potential scheduling challenges for shippers and freight forwarders

Brazil as next frontier?

Beyond domestic operations, Amazon Air is expanding its footprint into international markets. The Brazilian market, with its vast e-commerce potential (Dashboard 3/Figure 2), could be the carrier’s latest focus.

Dashboard 3 – Brazil E-commerce Projections

Amazon has begun hiring key personnel to possibly design and implement an air cargo network tailored to Brazil’s unique logistical challenges. These efforts are expected to streamline cross-border operations and provide faster service for Amazon’s growing customer base in Latin America.

Figure 2 – Fastest E-commerce Revenue Growth Markets, 2024

Strategy in review

Amazon Air’s focus is on its efforts to optimize domestic operations, expand internationally and explore revenue opportunities through third-party cargo services. Domestically, the company is streamlining its fleet management by transitioning narrowbody freighter operations to Sun Country Airlines, emphasizing efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Internationally, the expansion into Brazil signals an interest in tapping into high-growth markets with tailored air cargo networks designed to meet regional needs.

Amazon Air’s operational strategy revolves around maintaining flexibility through partnerships with multiple operators while steadily modernizing and expanding its fleet. The emphasis on hubs like CVG and ILN showcases their importance in facilitating high-capacity and high-frequency operations. Future moves are likely to continue reflecting this dual focus on efficiency and market expansion, ensuring the network adapts to both internal logistics needs and external market opportunities.