Amazon Air wins the Air-Cargo Leadership Award for innovative air freight operations and expanding services to third parties, as reported by FlightGlobal.
Amazon Air has been recognised in the Air-Cargo Leadership category at the 2026 Airline Strategy Awards for reshaping air freight operations with a new business model, reported London's FlightGlobal.
Judges praised Amazon Air for building a global cargo system distinct from conventional airlines. Launched a decade ago to support e-commerce, the carrier now operates about 250 flights daily with more than 100 freighters, all flown by contracted partners.
While most operations serve Amazon's retail business, the company began offering lift to third parties in late 2024. Judges said the approach redefines aviation as an enabler under a different structure.
The fleet includes 737-800F narrowbodies, 767-300s, and Airbus A330s. In the US, Amazon partners with ATSG operators Air Transport International and ABX Air, Sun Country Airlines, and Hawaiian Airlines. Overseas partners include Cargojet in Canada, ASL Airlines in Ireland, and India's Quikjet.
Amazon also expanded in Latin America through Avianca Cargo, adding Miami-Quito flights this summer to Bogota services launched last year. Long-term agreements underpin these partnerships, with equity stakes in ATSG and Cargojet.
The company has invested heavily in hubs, including the US$1.5 billion CVG Air Hub in Cincinnati, which opened in 2021. Facilities in Ohio, California, Ontario, and Texas support the network, with a new lease agreed for Jacksonville International Airport in Florida.
The launch of third-party services marks a natural expansion of Amazon Air's capabilities. Customer guarantees have been introduced to reassure shippers that preference will not be given to Amazon products.