Amazon Air Open for Business at San Bernardino International Airport

The Inland Empire’s newest Amazon facility began operations in San Bernardino this week.

Amazon Air, the air transportation component of Amazon’s logistics network opened its seventh facility in California at San Bernardino International Airport.  It joins 34 other air facilities delivering merchandise throughout the United States and Puerto Rico servicing a growing cargo fleet of more than 70 aircraft.

The San Bernardino hub is tailored specifically to serve the company’s larger scale regional needs. The facility will include an onsite area to sort packages bound for their next destination and is a combined investment of hundreds of millions of dollars in the Inland Empire economy.

Amazon Air is expected to begin operations with up to twelve flights a day increasing to as many as 26 daily flights by 2026.  This is major expansion of air cargo operations at the former Norton Airforce Base that served as a Military Airlift Command logistics base housing the 63^rd Military Airlift Wing of Lockheed C-141 Starlifters from 1966-1994.

“The Amazon Air Regional Air Hub is a long-awaited project that we are very proud of to see come to fruition,” said Michael Burrows, CEO of the IVDA/SBIA.  “One of the primary goals of the Inland Valley Development Agency and SBD International Airport is to restore jobs and economic growth to the Inland Empire as a result of the Norton Air Force Base closure.”

Over the past month, Amazon Air has hired hundreds of new employees from San Bernardino’s regional labor pool for full-time positions starting at $15 an hour with a $3,000 signing bonus.  These positions also include full health insurance, with prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage and paid leave.

“We have worked tirelessly over the last 20-plus years, with our partner, Hillwood, to restore those jobs and deliver even more, especially now, with the opening of the Amazon Air Regional Air Hub.” continued Burrows.  “The hub, brings with it well-paid, career-based, aviation jobs to the region. It is anticipated that the Regional Air Hub will bring 3,800 jobs when operating at full capacity.”

Amazon has also recently launched three new health centers in the Inland Empire for employees and their families. Located in San Bernardino, Moreno Valley, and Eastvale, the facilities provide full-spectrum acute, chronic, and preventive primary care, prescriptions, vaccinations, behavioral health services, physical therapy, health coaching, and care navigation for specialty referrals and diagnostic services.