Amazon launches 30-minute delivery service across the United States

Amazon deliveries continue to grow faster. On Tuesday, the online retailer announced the launch of a 30-minute delivery option, called “Amazon Now,” in dozens of US cities.

Amazon says this super-fast delivery option will allow customers to shop “thousands” of items, including fresh groceries, household essentials and other locally relevant items.

At launch, Amazon will now be widely available in Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, Philadelphia, and Seattle, and expanding to Austin, Denver, Houston, Minneapolis, Orlando, Oklahoma City, and Phoenix. By the end of the year, Amazon expects to offer the service to tens of millions of customers in these cities and others, with the service continuing to roll out across the United States.

Eligible items will be marked with “30 Minute Delivery” banners in the Amazon app and website. Amazon Now offers will also be displayed to customers while they shop.

Amazon began beta tests of 30-minute delivery in Seattle and Philadelphia in December, a move that pits the retailer against other express delivery services like DoorDash, Uber Eats and Instacart.

In addition to speed, the service competes on price. Although Amazon Now deliveries aren’t free, Prime members still save money as they pay just $3.99 per order, compared to $13.99 for non-Prime members. An additional small order fee of $1.99 for Prime members, or $3.99 for non-members, is charged for orders under $15.00. This is a more straightforward fee structure than competitors – one that often ends up being cheaper for Prime members, compared to competitors who charge variable delivery fees along with service fees, expected shopper tips, and sometimes price increases per item.

To make these quick orders possible, Amazon leverages a network of smaller fulfillment sites that are placed closer to where customers live and work, compared to the company’s larger warehouses. With a limited selection of items and reduced travel distances, delivery times can be accelerated.

At launch, Amazon Now orders can include fresh produce, dairy, eggs, bakery items, health care and personal care products, baby and pet needs, electronics and alcohol, where permitted. In most areas, the option will be available 24 hours a day.

“Amazon Now is for when you need or want the convenience of having your Amazon order delivered in 30 minutes or less,” Udit Madan, senior vice president of Amazon’s global operations, said in a statement about the launch. “With thousands of items available for super-fast delivery, you can get everything from groceries for dinner, to AirPods before a flight, and even household essentials like laundry detergent or toothpaste delivered right to your door.”

The service also joins Amazon’s existing express delivery options, including one- and three-hour deliveries available on more than 90,000 products as of March, and a same-day delivery option across millions of items. At eight U.S. locations, Amazon is also piloting drone deliveries in less than 60 minutes via Prime Air.

In 2025, Amazon Prime members received more than 13 billion total items via same-day or next-day delivery globally. The United States alone accounted for 8 billion of these items, a number that increases by 30% year over year.