Amazon Air

Amazon Air, formerly known as Amazon Prime Air, is a cargo airline operating exclusively to transport Amazon packages. In 2017, it changed its name from Amazon Prime Air to Amazon Air to differentiate themselves from their eponymous drone delivery service. However, the Prime Air logo remains on the aircraft. Until January 2021, the airline had relied on wet-leasing its aircraft from other operators, however going forward it is looking to directly operate some aircraft.
History.
In late 2015, Amazon began trial cargo runs out of Wilmington Air Park under the code name Project Aerosmith. In December 2015, Amazon announced that it would begin its own cargo airline to expand its capability.
In March 2016, Amazon acquired options to buy up to 19.9 percent of Air Transport Service Group's stock and began scheduled operations with 20 Boeing 767 aircraft.
On January 31, 2017, Amazon announced that Amazon Air would make Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (KCVG) its principal hub, and began operations on April 30, 2017. Amazon received $40 million in tax incentives and plans to begin construction on a facility with a sorting facility and parking space for over 100 cargo aircraft; the project is estimated to cost $1.5 billion.
In December 2017 the company, which was named Amazon Prime Air, announced its rebranding as Amazon Air to avoid confusion with the Amazon Prime Air drone delivery service.
As of June 2018, Amazon Air had 20 of its 33 cargo planes based at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (KCVG), with the rest flying point-to-point transit routes across the United States. Amazon Air was to move into office space at the former Comair headquarters by March 2018.
Amazon leased 10 additional Boeing 767-300 planes from ATSG in December 2018.
Amazon has completed a new regional air hub at Fort Worth Alliance Airport (KAFW) and does not airlift third-party packages. The new regional hub began operating on October 2, 2019.
For 2019 and 2020, Amazon has committed to leasing 10 additional 767-300 aircraft from Air Transport Services Group, which would bring active aircraft to a total of 50. Phase one of the CVG sort facility, encompassing is scheduled for completion in 2020, while the remaining will be developed by 2025–2027 during phase two. Amazon eventually plans to have over 100 aircraft based at CVG with over 200 daily flights and 15,000 employees.
In July 2020, Amazon Air had secured up to six million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) supplied by Shell Aviation and produced by World Energy.
In September 2020, Amazon committed to buy four aircraft under their own operations. These are the first aircraft the company will own rather than lease. The four 767-300 aircraft were previously under the ownership of WestJet, who purchased them from Qantas in 2015. In January 2021, with passenger air traffic severely depressed and cargo traffic higher due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Amazon announced it had completed the purchase of 11 Boeing 767-300s from Delta Air Lines and WestJet.
In March 2021, Amazon exercised it warrants to acquire a minority stake in Air Transport Services Group (ATSG), the parent company of Amazon Air sub-lessor Air Transport International. The deal was valued at $131 million for 13.5 million shares in the company. Amazon also holds warrants to acquire a minority stake in Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, the parent company of Atlas Air.
Destinations.
Amazon Air flies scheduled flights to the following destinations:
Fleet.
The airlines operating for Amazon Air use Boeing 737 and Boeing 767 aircraft, all operated by Atlas Air, Air Transport Services Group, ASL Airlines Ireland, Southern Air and Sun Country Airlines.
As of March 2021, Amazon's fleet averages over 24 years old, one of the oldest amongst major competitors including Lufthansa Cargo (less than 11 years old) and UPS (20 years old). Its oldest plane is 32 years old. Carbon emission of the company as a whole rose 15% in 2019.
Current fleet.
As of March 2021, Amazon's fleet consists of the following aircraft.