While stocking up on essentials or splurging on something nice, you would have seen Amazon’s delivery prices and times.
If you live outside the continental U.S. or want to send a gift, you may be wondering does Amazon ship to Alaska. I needed to know the same thing, so I looked it up, and here’s what I found!
Does Amazon Ship To Alaska?
Amazon does ship to Alaska, which is done through the Amazon Air cargo freight program at Fairbanks International Airport. Typically, the price of shipping items on Amazon to Alaska is $5 for standard shipping and $20.99 for expedited shipping. Additionally, shipping to Alaska is free for Prime Members.
Keep reading this guide for more details on the prices and timelines for Amazon’s Alaska shipping, so you can know before you buy.
How Much Does Amazon Shipping To Alaska Cost?
Many factors go into determining Amazon’s shipping prices, especially when it’s a destination outside the continental U.S., like Alaska.
Amazon has noted that the item and selected shipping speed influence the final cost of sending products from mainland fulfillment centers to Alaska.
Generally, there is a per shipment and per-item cost, which vary depending on the product category and how easy it is to ship.
Amazon lists estimates online so shoppers can know how much their order will cost to send to Alaska.
Currently, the cheapest shipping to Alaska is on books, which cost $0.99 per item and $5.00 per shipment of standard shipping.
Additionally, apparel, beauty, and shoes cost $1.49 per item and $8.99 per shipment, and prices are very similar for software, toys, and jewelry.
Expedited shipping speeds up the shipping time by several business days but also raises the shipping costs to $16.99-$20.99 per shipment and around $1.99 per item.
Priority shipping to Alaska costs the most, with per-shipment prices ranging from $22.99 to $32.99.
Individual items incur a charge of $1.99-$4.99 for priority shipping, although Prime members do get discounts on these prices.
How Long Does Amazon Shipping To Alaska Take?
Amazon shipping times are estimated when you check out, as sometimes circumstances are out of the company’s control.
Depending on your Amazon Prime membership status and how much you want to spend on shipping fees, you could choose standard or expedited shipping.
Generally, you can expect standard shipping to take around one week, while expedited shipping with an additional fee may arrive in a few business days.
Amazon’s stock levels and your specific location in Alaska may also influence the estimated shipping times.
Keep in mind that most items can be shipped from Amazon, but not all.
For example, oversize items or unusually shaped products may not be eligible for shipping to Amazon.
As long as you have your zip code entered while browsing on Amazon, you will be able to tell ahead of time what can and can’t be shipped there.
What Are Amazon Shipping Restrictions In Alaska?
If you’re ordering large items off Amazon, such as furniture or tools, you will want to check to ensure they can be shipped to Alaska.
When sending packages outside the continental U.S, Amazon has certain shipping restrictions, specifically around product dimensions.
Standard shipping to Alaska is restricted to the allowed shipping size. This means items can weigh a maximum of 70 lbs and be up to 108 inches long or around in circumference.
While large products or items with an odd shape may not always be eligible for shipping, Amazon always restricts shipping items with lithium batteries or other hazmat concerns to Alaska.
Remote regions and certain addresses may not be eligible for any shipments, and the retailer does not offer expedited or priority shipping to Alaskan P.O. boxes.
Once you enter the intended shipping address into Amazon, the item detail page will display all shipping eligibility information and options.
If there are any restrictions that could impact your order, Amazon will tell you.
Does Amazon Have A Distribution Center In Alaska?
While Amazon does not yet have a traditional distribution center in Alaska, it does have a new gateway hub at Fairbanks International Airport.
With this hub, Amazon arranges for freight deliveries from its U.S. distribution centers through Amazon Air, its freighter airline.
In addition to this base, Amazon has more than 35 transport hubs and gateways in the U.S., including its new Alaska hub.
This facility is designed to make remote deliveries more accessible while supporting the community by employing local residents.
Does Amazon Prime Free Shipping Apply To Alaska?
With more than 200 million members worldwide, Amazon Prime has a good reputation for fast, free delivery.
While Prime members in the 48 contiguous U.S. states have access to free one and two-day delivery, Alaskan members should expect deliveries to take slightly longer.
Free standard Prime shipping takes 3-7 business days. For faster shipping requirements, there’s expedited shipping that takes 2-5 business days, or priority shipping in 1-4 business days.
Prices depend on the item size and weight, with expedited shipping starting at $5.99 per item, and priority as low as $11.99 per item.
If you want to know more about Amazon’s shipping, you can also read our related articles on where does Amazon ship from, how late does Amazon delivers, and if Amazon Prime delivers on Sunday.
Conclusion
Amazon ships to Alaska, although shipping times may take longer than in the continental U.S. S
hipping prices are also slightly higher for Alaska compared to mainland U.S., but Prime members can get a good discount.
While there is no Amazon fulfillment center currently located in Alaska, there is a gateway hub for air freight at Fairbank International Airport.
This enables faster and more reliable delivery services throughout the region.
