Amazon launches Amazon Now, ultra-fast 30-minute delivery service across major US cities
Prime members pay a flat $3.99 fee for the service, which operates 24 hours a day in launch markets including Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Seattle.
Amazon has officially launched "Amazon Now," a new ultra-fast delivery option designed to bring groceries, household essentials, and other items to customers' doors within 30 minutes. The service marks a significant expansion of the retailer's logistics capabilities, moving beyond its existing same-day and next-day offerings to target the instant gratification segment of the market.
The service is currently available in dozens of US cities, with initial availability confirmed in Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, Philadelphia, and Seattle. Amazon plans to expand the rollout to Austin, Denver, Houston, Minneapolis, Orlando, Oklahoma City, and Phoenix, with projections indicating the service will reach tens of millions of customers across the United States by the end of the year.
To achieve the 30-minute delivery window, Amazon is utilising a network of smaller, local fulfilment locations situated closer to residential and commercial areas. This strategy contrasts with the company's traditional model of relying on larger central warehouses, allowing for reduced travel distances and faster turnaround times for eligible items.
Pricing for the service is structured to differentiate between subscription tiers. Prime members are charged a flat fee of $3.99 per order, while non-Prime members pay $13.99. Additionally, a small order fee of $1.99 applies to Prime members and $3.99 to non-Prime members for orders under $15.00. Amazon positions this straightforward fee structure as a competitive advantage against rivals that often layer variable delivery fees, service charges, and tips on top of markups.
Eligible items for Amazon Now are flagged with "30-minute delivery" banners within the Amazon app and website. The service covers a wide range of categories including fresh produce, dairy, eggs, bakery items, healthcare and personal care, baby and pet needs, electronics, and alcohol where permitted. The service operates 24 hours a day in most launch areas to accommodate urgent consumer needs.
This launch follows pilot tests conducted in Seattle and Philadelphia in December and places Amazon in direct competition with third-party quick delivery services such as DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Instacart. The initiative complements Amazon's broader logistics portfolio, which already includes 1-hour and 3-hour delivery options for over 90,000 products and drone delivery experiments via Prime Air in eight US locations.
In 2025, Amazon Prime members received over 13 billion total items via same-day or next-day delivery globally, with the US accounting for 8 billion of those items, representing a 30% year-on-year increase. Amazon Now aims to capture further market share by offering the fastest delivery speeds available to consumers.
