Amazon rolls out 30-minute delivery

Amazon.com rolled out its Amazon Now service to dozens of U.S. cities on May 12, offering delivery in 30 minutes or less on thousands of grocery, household and other urgent-purchase items, the company said. The service is widely available in Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, Philadelphia and Seattle, with service also live in parts of cities including Austin, Houston, Minneapolis, Orlando, Phoenix, Denver and Oklahoma City, Amazon said. The company said the launch reaches millions of U.S. customers now and is due to expand to tens of millions more by the end of 2026. Udit Madan, Amazon’s senior vice president of worldwide operations, said the service is built for orders customers “need or want” delivered in 30 minutes or less. ### Which cities get the first broad rollout? Amazon said Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, Philadelphia and Seattle are the first markets where Amazon Now is broadly available. The company also named Austin, Houston, Minneapolis, Orlando, Phoenix, Denver and Oklahoma City among the cities where service is already available in parts of those metro areas, with further expansion under way. Amazon said it plans to reach tens of millions of customers in these and other cities by year-end. (press.aboutamazon.com) ### What can shoppers actually order in 30 minutes? Amazon said the assortment centers on thousands of items that customers are likely to need quickly, including fresh groceries, household essentials and locally relevant products. The company listed categories such as dairy and eggs, produce, bakery, health, baby, pet care, personal care, electronics and alcohol where permitted by law. Madan said the range includes items such as groceries for dinner, AirPods before a flight, toothpaste and laundry detergent. (press.aboutamazon.com) ### How much does the service cost? Prime members pay a $3.99 delivery fee per Amazon Now order, while customers without Prime pay $13.99, according to Amazon. Orders under $15 carry an extra small-order fee of $1.99 for Prime members and $3.99 for non-Prime customers, the company said. Amazon said Prime membership in the United States costs $14.99 a month or $139 a year, with lower-priced options for young adults and some government-assistance recipients. (press.aboutamazon.com) ### How is Amazon promising a half-hour dropoff? Amazon said Amazon Now runs through a network of smaller fulfillment sites placed close to where customers live and work. CNBC reported the company is using micro-fulfillment centers, sometimes called dark stores, as it pushes deeper into what retailers and delivery apps describe as quick commerce. Amazon said the smaller-node model shortens travel distances for delivery partners and is designed to support faster delivery windows. (press.aboutamazon.com) ### How does this fit into Amazon’s broader delivery push? Amazon said on April 29 that it had already delivered more than 1 billion items through same-day or overnight options in 2026. The company also said in that first-quarter earnings release that it had added 1-hour and 3-hour delivery options on more than 90,000 U.S. products. CNBC reported that Amazon began piloting Amazon Now in a handful of U.S. cities in December before widening the launch this month. (press.aboutamazon.com) ### Where does Amazon say customers find the service? Amazon said eligible shoppers will see a “30-Minute Delivery” option in the Amazon app or on the homepage where the service is available. The company said customers can also check whether their address is covered and browse the dedicated storefront through the Amazon Now page. Amazon’s next stated milestone is to expand the service from millions of customers today to tens of millions by the end of 2026. (ir.aboutamazon.com) (press.aboutamazon.com)