E-commerce and logistics titan Amazon made its first-ever purchase of Boeing 767-300, bringing in 11 of the aircraft type to expand its global fleet.

Amazon said the move comes at a time when customers are relying on “fast, free shipping more than ever.”

The purchase includes four B767s from Canadian carrier WestJet, which are currently undergoing passenger-to-cargo conversion, and seven B767s from Delta Air lines. The 11 B767s will join the network in 2021 and 2022, and will be operated by third-party carriers.

“Our goal is to continue delivering for customers across the US in the way that they expect from Amazon, and purchasing our own aircraft is a natural next step toward that goal,” said Sarah Rhoads, vice president of Amazon Global Air.

“Having a mix of both leased and owned aircraft in our growing fleet allows us to better manage our operations, which, in turn, helps us to keep pace with meeting our customer promises,” she added.

Moving beyond its domestic operations in the US, Amazon opened its first international air hub at Leipzig/Halle Airport in Germany in November. It also launched regional operations at Lakeland Linder International Airport in Florida, John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, San Francisco International Airport, Chicago O’Hare International Airport, Richmond International Airport in Virginia, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas, Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in Puerto Rico, Kahului Airport and Kona International Airport in Hawaii, Los Angeles International Airport, and Louis Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans..

As it aggressively expands globally, Amazon is also investing in jobs and sustainable solutions to power its network. In 2020, the e-commerce giant’s air wing purchased 6 million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel and has already invested in electric ground service equipment and solar rooftop panels at some facilities.

Payload Asia learned that Amazon is scheduled to open a large hub in San Bernardino, California, early this year and its $1.5 billion national hub at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport this summer.