Amazon Expands Prime Air Drone Delivery to Nearly 500 US Cities

Remember the delivery drones Jeff Bezos promised more than a decade ago? Amazon isn't giving up on the idea.

Amazon Prime Air drones deliver lightweight packages, with the company preparing to expand the service to nearly 500 US cities and towns. [Photo: Amazon]

Amazon has announced that it plans to significantly expand its Prime Air drone-delivery service, aiming to reach nearly 500 US cities and towns by the end of 2026, up from 11 current operating locations. 

The expansion will bring drone delivery to tens of millions of customers. Amazon plans to launch service in additional markets including Chicago, Syracuse, Cleveland, Atlanta and Boise, with more communities expected to follow. 

Prime Air drones can carry most items weighing 5 pounds or less that fit inside a large shoebox.

Amazon says eligible orders can arrive in as little as 30 minutes, while most deliveries take about an hour. Prime members receive free drone delivery on orders of $50 or more; orders below that threshold cost $2.99 for Prime members and $4.99 for non-Prime customers. 

The service remains subject to geographic and regulatory limitations. Each Prime Air site currently serves an area of approximately 175 square miles, with customers generally located within about a 7.5-mile radius of the delivery site. 

Amazon's expansion comes more than a decade after Bezos publicly unveiled the company's drone-delivery ambitions in 2013.

The company has since redesigned its drones and gradually expanded the service.

The planned rollout signals that Amazon remains committed to turning drone delivery into a meaningful part of its logistics network, although regulatory approvals, safety, noise and community concerns remain challenges.