Amazon refines network, weighs fleet growth and freight competitiveness

Between November 2024 and June, Amazon continued refining its domestic air network through route-level capacity reallocation and hub optimization. While the company had, until recently, maintained a steady fleet size , its July acquisition of a used A330-300 suggests a potential return to modest fleet growth. This, along with a refinement in capacity allocation sheds light on Amazon’s potential for integrator competition. Cincinnati (CVG) remains the hub of Amazon’s U.S. air operations, but notable shifts in the network came through targeted growth on individual lanes (Figure 1). CVG-Richmond (RIC) grew by 138%, Ontario (ONT)-Honolulu (HNL) by 147% and CVG-Houston (IAH) by 132%. Meanwhile, Amazon is expanding its international presence, with Miami-Bogota (BOG) capacity nearly tripling and Bogota-Fort Worth (AFW) joining the company’s top 25 routes by capacity. Richmond (RIC) also emerged as a growing East Coast node, appearing on four of the top routes. Figure 1 — Top 25 Amazon routes by capacity, Nov. 2024 vs. June 2025

Deployment evolving with possible fleet additions Boeing 767 freighters continue to form the backbone of Amazon’s network, operating most of its high-volume domestic routes (Figure 2). However, Airbus A330-300P2Fs are playing an increasingly prominent role. June data shows that the A330 is supporting year-over-year capacity growth of more than 30% on lanes such as Cincinnati (CVG) – New York City (JFK), New York City (JFK) – Cincinnati (CVG), and San Bernardino (SBD) – Portland (PDX). (Table 1). Importantly, acquisition of unit 1359, a 2012-vintage A330-300 formerly operated by Corsair , marks the first A330 Amazon owns directly. While the company leases ten A330s from Altavair (operated by Hawaiian Airlines under a CMI arrangement), this move could show intent to expand its owned A330 fleet through conversions, similar to how it built up its fleet of 767-300 freighters between 2020 and 2024. Figure 2 – Top 25 Amazon origins by capacity and freighter type

Regional hubs gain volume as Amazon expands beyond CVG Amazon's network diversification continued over the eight-month period, with several regional hubs showing significant capacity increases. Miami (MIA) rose 73%, Charlotte (CLT) climbed 44%, Denver (DEN) increased 28% and ONT posted a 17% gain (Figure 3). This points to Amazon building out a more distributed hub structure to reduce dependency on CVG and improve last-mile connectivity in high-demand zones. At the same time, more expensive and congested coastal airports such as Seattle (SEA), San Francisco (SFO) and Austin (AUS) saw year-over-year declines, which shows a cost-conscious and performance-driven network adjustment strategy. Figure 3 – Top 25 Amazon origins by capacity, Nov. ’24 vs. June ’25

A330 route mix reflects growth, experimentation Amazon’s A330-operated network continues to expand. Existing routes like CVG-JFK (+39%), SBD-PDX (+35%) and PDX-SBD (+30%) saw strong growth, while others like CVG-PDX and Sacramento-CVG contracted. The A330 fleet also supports a growing number of new lanes, including JFK-AFW, CVG-IAH and multiple international sectors such as CRK-GUM and GUM-HNL. While most of the A330 capacity is still assigned to Hawaiian Airlines under a long-term CMI lease structure, the purchase of unit 1359 suggests that Amazon is now building long-term A330 control into its operating model. Table 1 – Amazon A330 route activity and new lanes

Network changes align with Amazon’s integrator-style ambitions Alongside route and fleet adjustments, Amazon has made operational shifts to support a more competitive freight product. The company has reduced short-haul flying, less than 400 miles, in favor of trucking and has increased nighttime operations by more than one-third year over year. With a growing emphasis on monetizing excess capacity, Amazon is positioning itself to compete more directly with express carriers in the third-party logistics space. Schedule reliability, wider aircraft and diversified routing all support that aim. These measured changes come at a time when air cargo markets are under pressure. June IATA data shows that global air cargo demand grew just 0.8% year over year, while North American carriers saw an 8.3% decline. Spot rates have softened for the second consecutive month as capacity continues to outpace demand. In this environment, Amazon’s approach appears opportunistic. It is not making large capital commitments or ordering new aircraft, but it is selectively building ownership of long-term freighter assets and refining its network to serve both internal and external freight needs. Measured approach in uncertain market Amazon’s strategy balances short-term flexibility with long-term capability. The eight-month period from November 2024 to June 2025 reflects a network strategy focused on improving asset utilization, expanding third-party freight services and optimizing route economics. The purchase of its first A330-300 could be hinting at controlled fleet growth through selective ownership rather than wholesale expansion. As the broader market remains uncertain, Amazon appears to be prioritizing competitive positioning and operational durability. While CVG remains its anchor, growing regional hubs and long-haul A330 lanes indicate a company steadily building toward integrator scale, one aircraft and one lane at a time.

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