Watch Now


Cargojet to fly 2 more freighters for Amazon in Canada

New report says Amazon Air now operating 143 flights per day

Cargojet has expanded its partnership with Amazon. (Photo: Flickr/Luc Verkuringen CC BY-SA 2.0)

Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) has placed two self-owned Boeing 767-300 freighter aircraft with Ontario-based Cargojet (TSX: CJT) as it continues to expand its air network. Cargojet announced Monday that the converted cargo aircraft will enter service in Canada by midyear under a four-year contract, with three successive two-year renewal options.

The new contract expands Cargojet’s existing arrangement with Amazon Canada Fulfillment Services to provide express delivery services within Canada.

E-commerce sales are surging in Canada, just as they are south of the border. Retail revenue from online sales in Canada is expected to grow from $25.3 billion in 2019 to $33 billion by 2024, according to Statista.

Amazon recently purchased 11 B767-300 aircraft — seven from Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) and four from Canadian carrier WestJet — marking the first time it has taken direct ownership of air assets, rather than leasing them, in the five years since launching Amazon Air as a way to ensure two-day and next-day delivery commitments for Prime customers. The two aircraft assigned to Cargojet come from that tranche of passenger aircraft and are among the first to be retrofitted with cargo doors, reinforced flooring and other necessities for dedicated cargo operation.


Last month, Amazon awarded a contract to another transportation contractor, Air Transport International (ATI), a subsidiary of Air Transport Services Group (NASDAQ: ATSG), to fly the first self-owned all-cargo aircraft.

Cargojet operates a fleet of 27 aircraft for Amazon, DHL and international charter customers. 

Amazon Air’s flight activity in North America increased a modest 4% in March from February, according to an analysis of daily flight data by Susquehanna Financial Group. The investment group said Amazon’s contract carriers — Atlas Air (NASDAQ: AAWW), Southern Air, ATI, ABX Air and Sun Country (NASDAQ: SNCY) — flew about 4,200 flights in March, or 137 per day, with an active fleet of 66 aircraft. Including flights in Europe operated by ASL Airlines, Amazon Air conducted 4,400 flights, or 143 per day.

Amazon has previously provided figures that it has more than 70 aircraft in its active fleet and expects to have at least 80 in service by the end of the year. 


Amazon is scheduled to open its $1.5 billion North American hub at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport in September. 

Click here for more FreightWaves stories by Eric Kulisch.

More Amazon News:

Amazon buys first aircraft for fast-growing cargo fleet

Cargojet raises $268M to help pay for seven new freighters

Amazon airline ATSG touts red-hot business for cargo jet leases

Amazon, FedEx air partner ASL orders 737-800 converted freighters

Amazon Air opens first European hub


Eric Kulisch

Eric is the Supply Chain and Air Cargo Editor at FreightWaves. An award-winning business journalist with extensive experience covering the logistics sector, Eric spent nearly two years as the Washington, D.C., correspondent for Automotive News, where he focused on regulatory and policy issues surrounding autonomous vehicles, mobility, fuel economy and safety. He has won two regional Gold Medals and a Silver Medal from the American Society of Business Publication Editors for government and trade coverage, and news analysis. He was voted best for feature writing and commentary in the Trade/Newsletter category by the D.C. Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. He won Environmental Journalist of the Year from the Seahorse Freight Association in 2014 and was the group's 2013 Supply Chain Journalist of the Year. In December 2022, he was voted runner up for Air Cargo Journalist by the Seahorse Freight Association. As associate editor at American Shipper Magazine for more than a decade, he wrote about trade, freight transportation and supply chains. Eric is based in Portland, Oregon. He can be reached for comments and tips at [email protected]