What Time Does Amazon Start Delivering in 2024?

Have you ever been excitedly waiting for an Amazon delivery, only to find yourself wondering – when do they actually start delivering packages each day?

Knowing what time Amazon delivery starts can help you track your orders and ensure someone is home to receive them.

The answer is: Amazon typically starts delivering anywhere from 6am to as late as 10pm, depending on location.

In this detailed guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about Amazon’s 2024 delivery schedule, including:

• When you can expect to receive Amazon packages
• How early and late Amazon delivers each day
• Weekend and holiday delivery times
• Shipping differences for Prime members
• Customizing your delivery preferences
• Getting same-day delivery
• What to do if your order is late
• FAQs about Amazon’s delivery service

Let’s dive in!

What Are Amazon’s Standard Delivery Hours?

Across most of the United States, Amazon makes deliveries between 6am and 10pm, Monday to Friday.

However, Amazon drivers are instructed not to disturb customers outside the normal hours of 8am-8pm. The exceptions are scheduled deliveries requiring a signature.

So unless you have a package that specifically needs a signature on delivery, you likely won’t see or hear from an Amazon driver outside of 8am-8pm, even if they deliver earlier or later. Packages will simply be left outside your door.

For scheduled deliveries needing a signature, drivers will only attempt to reach you during 8am-8pm. If you’re unavailable to sign, they’ll try again the next day within standard delivery hours.

How Early Does Amazon Start Delivering Packages?

While 6am is the typical standard, select areas do support even earlier 4am-6am deliveries for Amazon Prime members.

To receive packages during this pre-dawn overnight period, you must choose the Prime “Order by” with next morning delivery during checkout.

Amazon partners with USPS, UPS, and other carriers to provide delivery services 24 hours a day in certain major metros and suburbs. But availability depends on proximity to logistics hubs and driver coverage.

If 4-6am delivery is not available for your location, orders will default to standard delivery beginning around 6am.

How Late Does Amazon Deliver Packages?

Between 8pm-10pm is when you can expect Amazon drivers to wrap up deliveries for the day.

Amazon Prime members can opt to receive packages as late as 10pm by selecting an evening delivery preference in their account settings.

This ensures drivers will deliver later if they are running behind, rather than holding orders until the next day.

For non-Prime members, Amazon typically stops deliveries around 8pm and will hold undelivered orders until the next morning.

Amazon Delivery on Weekends: Saturdays and Sundays

In select major cities and metro areas, Amazon provides deliveries on Saturdays following the normal weekday schedule of 6am-10pm.

For Sunday delivery, Amazon delivery hours are typically between 9am-8pm where available.

In some regions, Sunday delivery is handled by USPS, UPS, FedEx or other Amazon partners under contract. So your packages may arrive earlier or later depending on the carrier.

Some common Sunday delivery windows by carrier:

• USPS – Deliveries typically by 6:30pm
• Amazon Flex – Deliveries as late as 8pm

Sunday delivery remains limited, so refer to your order confirmation to see if it’s available for your location. Otherwise, you’ll get your packages on the next business day.

Amazon Delivery on Holidays

On major US holidays and observances, Amazon alters their delivery operations:

• No Deliveries – Christmas Day, Thanksgiving Day, Labor Day, Independence Day, etc.
• 8am-8pm Schedule – New Year’s Eve, Christmas Eve
• Regular Hours – MLK Day, President’s Day, Columbus Day, etc.

Unless otherwise noted, you can expect Amazon to maintain regular delivery hours on most holidays. But delays around Christmas and New Year’s are common when order volumes surge beyond capacity.

Do Prime Members Get Deliveries Later Than Non-Prime?

Amazon aims to deliver all customer orders within their standard delivery windows, regardless of Prime membership.

However, Prime members have more flexibility to choose later delivery times, customize preferences, and unlock faster shipping upgrades like:

• Same-Day Delivery – Order by noon to receive that evening
• One-Day Shipping – Guaranteed next day delivery
• Two-Day Shipping – Arrives within two business days

Meanwhile, non-Prime members don’t have access to these expedited shipping options or the ability to select evening delivery times.

Customize Amazon Delivery With Package Preferences

One major benefit of an Amazon Prime membership are the customizable delivery preferences to control exactly when and how you get your orders.

Here are some of the preferences Prime members can set:

• Preferred delivery days – Choose which days of the week you want packages delivered, for example weekdays only.
• Multi-day shipping – Opt to group orders together and receive deliveries on certain days you specify, rather than daily.
• Preferred delivery window – Set a 2 to 4 hour timeblock such as 10am-2pm for deliveries to avoid work meetings or times you’re out running errands.
• Evening delivery – Get packages as late as 10pm in case you’re not home during the day.
• Delivery instructions – Provide specific drop-off directions like leaving packages in your side yard, back porch, etc.
• Require signature – Ensure you or someone else is home to sign for deliveries.

You can set these Amazon delivery preferences in the Shipping Settings section of Your Account.

Getting Same-Day Delivery on Amazon Orders

To get an item delivered the same day you order on Amazon, checkout by the following cutoff times:

• Amazon Standard – Order by noon local time
• Amazon Fresh – Order groceries by 6pm
• Prime Now – Order by 3pm or 10pm for late delivery

Same-day delivery requires Prime membership and item availability from a local warehouse. Extra fees may apply for certain services like Amazon Fresh.

You can filter search results by “Same-Day Delivery” or look for the Prime logo to find eligible products. Enter your ZIP code on checkout to confirm availability for your area.

What To Do if Your Amazon Delivery is Late?

Despite Amazon’s delivery speed and reliability, delays can happen when unexpected issues arise.

Before contacting customer support about a late package, be sure to:

• Check tracking for estimated delay alerts from Amazon or the carrier.
• Consider severe weather events that could be impacting transportation.
• Verify your address is correct and delivery instructions are clear.
• Allow additional transit time for specialty items like gift wrapping.

If your order is still late after 48 hours with no tracking updates from Amazon, you can reach out by phone, chat, or email to investigate the problem.

Amazon may offer a shipping refund if:

• The item was eligible for guaranteed delivery but arrived late.
• Your order shipped to the address you entered.
• No unforeseen circumstances disrupted transit.

How to Speed Up Your Amazon Deliveries?

Beyond same-day shipping, here are some useful tips to accelerate your packages:

• Get Amazon Prime – Unlocks free one-day, two-day and release-date deliveries.
• Use Amazon Lockers – Pick up orders early from secure self-serve kiosks near you.
• Check Item Availability – Only purchase items in stock and ready to ship to avoid delays.
• Select No Signature – Prevents missed delivery attempts while you’re out.
• Use Amazon Key In-Garage – Enables deliveries inside your garage to prevent package theft.
• Amazon Day – Pick a weekday for grouped deliveries instead of every day.

Amazon Delivery: FAQs and Key Facts

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about Amazon’s delivery operation:

How does Amazon deliver packages so quickly?

Amazon ships fast by using a smart logistics network of fulfillment centers near population hubs, fleets of branded delivery vans, and contracted delivery partners like USPS and UPS.

Does Amazon prioritize business address deliveries?

There’s no evidence Amazon focuses on business deliveries. Though commercial addresses are easier for drivers to quickly locate.

Can you schedule a specific time window for delivery?

Yes, Prime members can select a 2 to 4 hour preferred delivery window like 10am-2pm as part of their shipping preferences.

Why does Amazon sometimes group my orders together?

If you place multiple orders, Amazon may group them together into one shipment to reduce transportation costs and ensure speedier delivery. This consolidation helps maximize efficiency.

Can you pick up Amazon orders directly from a warehouse or fulfillment center?

No, Amazon does not currently offer in-person pick up of online orders from their facilities. Customers must wait for home delivery or redirect packages to an Amazon Locker location.

Does Amazon deliver on Sundays in all major cities?

No, Sunday delivery is only available in certain major metro areas and suburbs based on Amazon logistics and carrier availability. Many smaller towns and rural areas do not yet support Sunday delivery.

Can you change the delivery date or time after ordering?

Unfortunately no, delivery preferences can only be set before completing checkout. If you need to modify the delivery date after ordering, you’ll need to cancel and re-order the item with the desired shipping speed and arrival date.

Conclusion

We’ve covered a lot of ground when it comes to the specifics of Amazon’s 2024 delivery schedule and capabilities.

The main takeaways are:

• Amazon delivers every day, even weekends and most holidays.
• Standard delivery hours are 6am-10pm, but Prime members can customize preferences.
• Customers who strategically set preferred times and shipping speeds can closely control when their orders arrive.
• Unexpected delays can happen, but Amazon provides tracking visibility and timely support.

Knowing the typical Amazon delivery hours for your area allows you to plan your purchases accordingly. With millions of items available on Amazon, you can have virtually anything arrive at your doorstep on a consistent schedule.

So next time you need to restock essentials or want to treat yourself to some retail therapy, you can shop on Amazon with confidence knowing exactly when your orders will be delivered.