Amazon introduces 1-hour and 3-hour delivery options in U.S.
Amazon continues to grow its range of ultrafast delivery services.
The online giant is offering one-hour and three-hour delivery in select cities and towns across the U.S. According to Amazon, it is making the new rapid deliveries possible by leveraging its existing same-day delivery sites.
One-hour delivery is currently available to Amazon customers in hundreds of cities and towns across the U.S., including parts of Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington, D.C.; as well as smaller cities such as Des Moines, Iowa, Boise, Idaho, and American Fork, Utah. Three-hour delivery is being offered in more than 2,000 cities and towns, including large, mid-size, and smaller cities, as well as surrounding suburbs.
The new delivery options are available seven days a week. Amazon plans to bring one-hour and three-hour delivery to more areas in the coming months.
Cost
Amazon Prime members will receive discounted delivery fees of $9.99 for one-hour delivery and $4.99 for three-hour delivery. Customers without a Prime membership pay $19.99 for one-hour delivery and $14.99 for three-hour delivery. (Prime members can continue to utilize Amazon’s standard same-day delivery option, which remains free for them on qualifying orders.)
Customers will see the items that are eligible for 1-hour and 3-hour delivery throughout their regular "Same-Day" shopping experience via new messaging next to product names. Amazon has also added "in one hour" or "in three hours" search filters and a dedicated storefront shopping page in areas where these options are available.
The retailer is offering an assortment of more than 90,000 products for its new fast delivery options, including categories such as pantry items, cleaning supplies, health and beauty items, over-the-counter medications, electronics, toys, clothing and accessories, and home and garden.
Amazon speeds up delivery
Amazon has been busy during the past year creating a variety of fast and ultrafast delivery options. These include:
- Amazon Pharmacy directly offering same-day U.S. home delivery of Eli Lilly’s Zepbound KwikPen multi-dose injectable treatment for weight management.
- Offering two-hour delivery windows in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area for fresh foods, local products and everyday essentials from regional grocer Cub on its site.
- Expanding same-day prescription delivery through Amazon Pharmacy, leveraging Amazon’s existing same-day delivery network to enable medication delivery within hours at no additional cost for members (with significant further expansion planned in 2026).
Rolling out the ultrafast Amazon Now delivery service in India, Mexico and the United Arab Emirates, with initial testing underway in the U.S. and U.K. Amazon Now delivers everyday essentials, fresh groceries, and locally in-demand items to customers’ doorsteps in under 30 minutes with discounted delivery for Prime members.
[READ MORE: Amazon pilots ultra-fast delivery in two U.S. cities]
- In addition, with the help of AI, Amazon stores the right selection close to customers, enabling faster deliveries and shorter shipping distances while maintaining the broadest selection of products possible for Prime members. This technology also helps Amazon adjust its selection in different areas to meet local and seasonal needs.
"Our customers are busier than ever and are looking for new ways to save time while keeping their households running," said Udit Madan, senior VP of worldwide operations at Amazon. "We saw an opportunity to use our unique operational expertise and delivery network to help make customers’ lives a little easier while unlocking even more value for Prime members."
