Amazon.com IncAmazon expands Prime Air drone delivery to nearly 500 cities, boosting customer access and potential orders.

Amazon plans to dramatically expand its Prime Air drone delivery service, expecting to reach nearly 500 U.S. cities and towns by the end of 2026. The expansion would increase Prime Air's footprint sixfold, giving tens of millions more customers access to drone deliveries of millions of products including groceries, electronics, medications and household essentials, with deliveries arriving in as fast as 30 minutes. Prime Air currently operates from 11 delivery sites serving metro areas including Phoenix, Tampa, Kansas City, Baton Rouge, Detroit, Omaha, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Waco, and service will soon launch in the Chicago, Cleveland, Atlanta, Boise and Syracuse metro areas. Most items weighing 5 pounds or less that fit inside a large shoebox are eligible, with Prime members receiving free drone delivery on orders of $50 or more, $2.99 for orders under $50, and $4.99 for non-Prime customers. The announcement comes as the Federal Aviation Administration has proposed rules that would make it easier for certified operators to fly drones beyond a pilot's visual line of sight, a change companies say could significantly reduce costs and allow services to expand more quickly.
Amazon.com IncAmazon expands Prime Air drone delivery to nearly 500 cities, boosting customer access and potential orders.