Amazon Pharmacy to Expand Same-Day Delivery to 4,500 Cities

Why It Matters

The move accelerates Amazon’s disruption of traditional pharmacy logistics, widening access while intensifying price and service competition for incumbents.

Key Takeaways

• Same‑day delivery reaches 4,500 cities by 2026
• Adds 2,000 new communities, including Idaho, Massachusetts
• One Medical kiosks enable minute‑quick pickups in LA
• Prime members save up to 80% on generics
• Amazon still holds only ~1% pharmacy market share

Pulse Analysis

Amazon’s same‑day pharmacy expansion is a natural extension of its e‑commerce logistics expertise. By integrating Prime’s ultra‑fast shipping, a nationwide network of fulfillment centers, and the newly opened One Medical kiosks, Amazon can promise medication delivery within hours—even in remote locales like Mackinac Island or the Navajo Nation. This logistical muscle, combined with steep discounts for Prime members, positions the retailer as a compelling alternative to traditional mail‑order services that typically require five to ten days.

The competitive landscape is heating up as Walmart, CVS, Optum Home Delivery and Cigna Express Scripts vie for market share. Walmart already commands roughly 4.8% of the pharmacy market through its extensive brick‑and‑mortar footprint and delivery options, while Amazon’s current 1% share reflects a nascent but rapidly scaling operation. Aggressive pricing—up to 80% off generic drugs for Prime members—forces incumbents to reevaluate their cost structures and could spur a broader price war that benefits consumers.

Beyond the commercial battle, Amazon’s rollout addresses a growing public‑health challenge: pharmacy deserts and staffing shortages. By delivering to remote Alaskan towns and Navajo Nation communities, the company mitigates barriers that have intensified after recent pharmacy closures, such as CVS’s acquisition of Rite Aid. If Amazon sustains its rapid‑delivery model, it could set a new industry standard for accessibility, potentially reshaping how patients obtain essential medications across the United States.

Amazon Pharmacy to expand same-day delivery to 4,500 cities

Amazon Pharmacy expands same‑day delivery to 4, 500 cities in 2026

Amazon Pharmacy has announced it is expanding same‑day delivery to close to 4,500 cities this year.

This will add nearly 2,000 new communities to expansion efforts that began in 2024 in New York City and greater Los Angeles. New states offering same‑day medication delivery include Idaho and Massachusetts.

Amazon is competing against Walmart, Optum Home Delivery, Cigna Express Scripts and CVS Caremark in the home drug delivery business.

Traditional mail‑order delivery takes between five and 10 days, Amazon said. Amazon Pharmacy achieved faster delivery speeds in 2025 across all 50 states and Washington, D.C., it said.

Amazon Pharmacy is also expanding through Amazon’s One Medical and Amazon Prime.

In Los Angeles, One Medical patients can pick up prescriptions within minutes at Amazon Pharmacy kiosks located within the clinics. These in‑person kiosks are being expanded to additional locations in 2026.

Prime members without insurance can save up to 80 % on generic medications and 40 % on brand‑name medications.

While it is moving aggressively to disrupt the mail‑order and traditional pharmacy market, Amazon still holds about 1 % of that market, according to Seeking Alpha. In comparison, Walmart has 4.8 % of the pharmacy market due to 4,600 in‑store pharmacies and delivery options.

Amazon touts delivery options that can reach customers in remote locations such as on Mackinac Island, Michigan, where delivery is made by ferry and a horse‑drawn carriage. In Manhattan, Amazon delivers medications with e‑bikes.

Beyond the marketing optics, the expansion addresses pharmacy closures – CVS Pharmacy’s acquisition of Rite Aid stores and prescriptions last year – staffing shortages, transportation barriers and a growing medication‑access challenge, according to Amazon.

Amazon Pharmacy delivers to remote Alaska towns and across the Navajo Nation in communities such as Fort Defiance and Keams Canyon, where the nearest brick‑and‑mortar pharmacy is more than a 45‑minute drive away.

“Patients shouldn't have to choose between speed, cost and convenience when it comes to their medication, regardless of where they live,” said John Love, vice president of Amazon Pharmacy. “By combining our pharmacy expertise with our logistics network, we're removing critical barriers and helping patients start treatment faster – setting a new standard for accessible, digital‑forward pharmacy care.”

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