Amazon Expands Drone Delivery Network to 500 US Cities by 2026

Amazon is expanding its Prime Air drone delivery network by nearly six times, targeting around 500 U.S. cities and towns by the end of 2026. The expansion will bring Prime Air's footprint from 11 current delivery sites across 10 metro areas to a much wider area.

The rollout includes adding Chicago, Atlanta, Cleveland, Syracuse, and Boise metropolitan areas, with more communities expected later this year. This move comes as retailers and delivery companies compete over speed and convenience in last-mile shipping.

Amazon's Prime Air can carry most packages weighing 5 pounds or less and roughly the size of a large shoebox, making more than 60% of the products customers purchase most frequently eligible for drone delivery. Orders can arrive in as little as 30 minutes, though Amazon says most reach customers about an hour after checkout.

Prime members receive free drone delivery on orders of $50 or more and pay $2.99 on smaller orders, while non-Prime customers pay $4.99. The expansion will test whether drone delivery can move from a limited service into a practical, scalable piece of Amazon's last-mile network.