Amazon Now launches 30-minute delivery in dozens of U.S. cities
Amazon Now launches 30-minute delivery in dozens of U.S. cities, offering groceries and essentials with Prime-friendly fees and local fulfillment nearby.
Amazon has rolled out "Amazon Now," a 30-minute delivery option that will let customers in dozens of U.S. cities receive groceries, household items and other essentials within half an hour. The 30-minute delivery option, marketed under the name Amazon Now, is intended to leverage the retailer’s local fulfillment footprint to serve urgent needs quickly. Amazon says the service will appear in its app and on the website with “30-minute delivery” banners for eligible items.
Initial rollout centers on Atlanta, Dallas–Fort Worth, Philadelphia and Seattle
Amazon Now is widely available at launch in Atlanta, Dallas–Fort Worth, Philadelphia and Seattle, with immediate expansion into additional metropolitan areas. The company said the service is also being introduced in Austin, Denver, Houston, Minneapolis, Orlando, Oklahoma City and Phoenix. Amazon expects the rollout to continue through the year and to reach tens of millions of customers across many U.S. cities.
Customers can buy fresh groceries, personal care and more
The 30-minute assortment will include fresh produce, dairy, bakery goods, and everyday pantry staples alongside personal care, baby and pet supplies. Electronics and alcohol will be offered where local rules permit, and many areas will have the option available around the clock. Amazon says thousands of locally relevant items will be flagged for ultra-fast delivery to make selection easier for shoppers.
Prime members benefit from a simpler, lower-fee structure
Amazon Now is not free, but Prime members receive a markedly lower per-order fee compared with non-members. Prime customers will pay $3.99 per Amazon Now order while non-Prime shoppers face $13.99 per order; orders under $15 incur an additional small-order fee of $1.99 for Prime members and $3.99 for non-members. Amazon positions this straightforward fee schedule as often more economical for Prime members than competing platforms that layer variable delivery charges, service fees and suggested tips.
Local fulfillment hubs and reduced travel time power the service
To meet the 30-minute target, Amazon is tapping a network of smaller fulfillment sites placed closer to customers than its larger warehouses. These compact locations carry a curated selection intended for rapid picking and packing, which shortens travel distance and speeds delivery. The constrained inventory at local hubs allows couriers to complete routes more quickly, enabling tighter delivery windows than standard fulfillment centers can offer.
Amazon is integrating the new 30-minute option with its existing fast-delivery portfolio, which includes one-hour and three-hour windows on tens of thousands of products as well as same-day delivery across millions of items. In select locations, the company is also testing drone deliveries that aim to reach customers in under an hour, keeping rapid fulfillment at the center of its logistics strategy.
Launch ramps up competition with on-demand delivery services
The 30-minute push places Amazon directly against instant-delivery players such as DoorDash, Uber Eats and Instacart, which have built businesses around short windows for groceries and convenience items. Amazon’s approach emphasizes a bundled ecosystem advantage: the company’s local sites, integrated app experience and Prime pricing combine to challenge rivals on both speed and cost. Industry observers say the move is likely to intensify competition around urban delivery density and pricing transparency.
The new option also extends Amazon’s broader trend of shifting more rapid order volume onto its platform. In 2025, Prime members globally received over 13 billion items through same-day or next-day delivery; the United States accounted for roughly 8 billion of those deliveries, a year-over-year increase of about 30 percent. Those volumes underscore why Amazon continues to invest in local infrastructure and faster last-mile options.
Amazon expects to reach tens of millions of customers by year-end as Amazon Now expands, and it plans to continue adding cities and items to the eligible catalog. The company says the service is intended for urgent needs—everything from ingredients for dinner to last-minute electronics before a trip—while fitting into its wider network of delivery choices.
