Gridwise recently ran a blog post on Amazon Flex delivery driver pay. In it we answer, How much do Amazon Flex drivers make? According to drivers using the Gridwise app, the highest achieving Amazon Flex drivers earned $36 an hour in Q1 2023!  

There is more good news. The first quarter is historically a slower time for Amazon Flex. Deliveries slump around New Year’s and don’t start to move upward again until April, as people receive tax returns and prepare for summer vacations. If the top drivers make $36 an hour during the slow season, Amazon’s busy seasons will pay more.  

Secondly, the average number of hours worked per week by Amazon Flex drivers is about 27, meaning you have lots of time for other gig driving activities, for the family, or for working your regular nine-to-five job. 

How can you make top dollar in an Amazon Flex job? Take a few minutes to read this blog post for some of the best tips.

What is Amazon Flex?

Amazon Flex refers to Amazon’s fleet of gig drivers who deliver packages. Amazon has, for some years, provided overnight delivery to Amazon Prime members and, in some cases, same-day delivery. According to Techjury.com, six in ten US households use Amazon Prime. That’s serious market penetration. LandingCube.com reports that Amazon delivers approximately 1.6 million packages a day. 

Suppose you are a Prime member purchasing a new dash holder for your cell phone, vital equipment for your gig driving activities. When you click the button to purchase, that item appears as an order on a computer in an Amazon warehouse, and a worker is off to collect it. This all happens within minutes. Meanwhile, a computer is busy calculating the routing process. Somewhere along the way, the item and routing instructions come together, and the product is delivered to you that day, the next day, or the day after that. 

Many things need to happen to ensure this system flows properly, one of which is a flexible workforce of delivery people. Amazon looked to the community of gig drivers, and now we have Amazon Flex. 

How much does Amazon Flex pay?

The Amazon website shows Flex pay ranges between $18 and $25 an hour. But is this really how much Amazon Flex drivers make? Based on figures from the Gridwise app, top-earning Amazon Flex drivers made as much as $36 an hour in Q1 2023. Why the difference? 

Amazon packages its deliveries for Amazon Flex drivers by blocks, ranging from three to six hours. The larger the block, the higher the price tag. Drivers indicate which Amazon warehouses they want to pick up from (warning: don’t count on all warehouses being open to you, especially when you first start). When you choose a block, you know how long it will take and how much you will make. Some quick division, and you know your hourly wage. 

But a nice perk of Amazon Flex is that the blocks typically take less time than advertised. Gridwise came across driver story after driver story of blocks that took nowhere near the time allotted. Better yet, Amazon doesn’t seem to care. Their only concern is that the deliveries are made and made accurately. Once finished, you’re free to go about your other business, which might even include seeing if any other blocks are available. 

A block that takes less time means you’re making more money per hour. You may have selected a four-hour block labeled at $120, but it only took three hours. Your hourly pay went from $30 to $40. Now you can look for more blocks.  

This is an integral part of maximizing your Amazon Flex driver salary. But how can you get to $1,000 a week as an Amazon Flex driver? 

What are the secrets of $1,000-a-week Amazon Flex drivers?

1. Accept only higher earning blocks 

Your goal is to identify the Amazon Flex blocks that work for you. Most top-earning drivers don’t accept a block for less than $100, which accomplishes two things. First, goals are a good habit for drivers who want to maximize earnings. Second, if enough drivers pass on smaller blocks, those blocks are more likely to surge in price, which gets us to secret #2. 

2. Be aware that Amazon Flex blocks will surge in price 

It’s supply and demand, simple economics. If Amazon Flex has more deliveries than drivers, they increase the payment for a block as it approaches delivery time, known as a surge. Perhaps the flu is burning through an Amazon facility, and several drivers call in sick. Amazon relies on the ranks of Amazon Flex drivers to fill this void. As an added incentive to attract drivers, they bump up the price of the last-minute block. 

According to a YouTube video by Chuck Driver, Amazon Flex surges can boost prices from 25% to 100%. Longer block lengths tend to surge higher, as do blocks during inclement weather (including snow, which is why you need to read the Gridwise post Doing Rideshare and Delivery in Snowy Conditions: What to Know). 

3. Know when surges are likely to happen 

According to Chuck Driver, Amazon Flex surges are likely just before standard block times, particularly early mornings and evenings. If Amazon has a batch of blocks scheduled for pick up at the warehouse at 3:30 am (yes, Amazon schedules them that early) and at 2:45 am, if a block remains untaken, it might surge. That means you have to set your alarm clock so you can wake up at 2:45 am to see if any blocks are surging—but that’s why you’re a top-earning Amazon Flex driver. 

Shifts late in the day also surge as regular drivers return to the warehouse with deliveries they could not complete. According to Chuck Driver, there is less competition for surges late in the day and into the night, as many Amazon Flex drivers want to be home with their families. This makes it more likely you will score a good surge. 

4. Understand when the busy periods are for deliveries

Amazon Flex has two busy periods of the year. Predictably, deliveries start their upward trend around Thanksgiving, continuing through Christmas, and then plummet around New Year’s Day. The first quarter of the year is flat, but deliveries start to spike again in April as people receive tax return checks and plan summer vacations. Increased demand continues until about July, and then flattens again until the cycle repeats. 

You can also expect spikes around Amazon Prime days in June and July, although the company is constantly experimenting with the dates for that program. You will see more surging blocks during these times because the increased demand causes the warehouses to get behind, creating lots of last-minute blocks that need delivery. 

5. Attain Level 2 of Amazon Flex Rewards

The Amazon Flex Rewards program gives you points for each block completed. If you have a “Great” rating with Amazon Flex, you get two points for each completed delivery and 20 points per block. A “Fantastic” rating gets you three points per delivery and 30 points for each completed block. Once you amass 650 points as an Amazon Flex driver, you’re at Level 2 for the entire quarter and the following one. 

Level 2 perks include increased ability to set your preferred warehouses and early access to blocks. You have a better chance of grabbing the surging blocks. If your goal for Amazon Flex delivery driver pay is $1,000 a week, Level 2 is where you want to be.  

6. Keep your Amazon Flex app updated

This is true for all apps used by gig drivers. Developers at Amazon Flex are constantly refining and improving the app. Regularly updating your app ensures you have access to all the latest improvements. If you neglect to update the app, it can become clunky, slow, and unresponsive. It might even stop working altogether. Check for updates at least twice a week.

7. Save money on fuel by becoming familiar with the different types of Amazon warehouses nearest you 

There are different Amazon Flex warehouses. Some cater exclusively to Amazon Flex drivers. These warehouses will likely have early morning surges (remember, 3:30 am) and late afternoon and evening surges. Other warehouses are for regular Amazon drivers. Amazon Flex drivers are allowed in only after the regular drivers have loaded their trucks and left. This is where you will get surging blocks because drivers have called in sick or return later in the day with undelivered items. 

Get familiar with the warehouses nearest you; you’re more likely to get delivery routes close to your home, which cuts down on miles and your fuel consumed. All warehouses operate differently. Some have drivers pull inside to receive their blocks (a nice thing during bad weather), while others require you to come in and get your block in a cart, then load it in the parking lot. 

8. Show up early for your shift

You don’t get paid for sitting around, but some Amazon warehouses will count you as tardy if you’re late to pick up a block, even if it’s obvious you were waiting in line. Bring a book or listen to podcasts while you cool your heels.

9. Sort your Amazon Flex deliveries 

It’s tempting to begin your route right away and start dropping off packages. Take a few minutes, though, and sort them. It’s not difficult and saves you lots of time on the route. Check out the many YouTube videos showcasing different approaches on how to sort your Amazon Flex packages, such as Sara Elizabeth’s video.Use Waze or Google Maps for navigation

10. Be wary of Amazon’s navigation

Many drivers report that the navigation used for the Amazon Flex app is notoriously buggy, but you can change to Waze or Google Maps to correct this situation. 

11. Wear an Amazon Flex vest

You receive an Amazon vest when you become a Flex driver. Wear it. Being identifiable saves a lot of time when driving through neighborhoods or walking around apartment buildings or office complexes. One look, and people know who you are. You can check out Esty for Amazon caps and T-shirts. You want to be clearly identifiable as an Amazon Flex driver. 

12. Carry a collapsible wagon or hand truck in your vehicle

Remember, you want to save time. A collapsible wagon or hand truck in your vehicle is great for heavy or bulky boxes and is especially convenient when you have multiple deliveries to a single apartment or office building. Shaving off time helps you cross one of the biggest hurdles to making $1,000 a week as an Amazon Flex delivery driver. 

13. If you’re new to Amazon Flex, start with three-hour blocks

Yes, this is counter to the advice we gave you earlier regarding selecting only those blocks that will earn you more than $100, but if you’re a newbie to Amazon Flex, don’t overwhelm yourself. You will learn quickly and soon be doing those blocks worth $100 and more. 

14. Stay away from the Amazon Flex block bot grabbers

Bots and other software can help your app grab Amazon blocks, even when you’re not monitoring it. Resist the temptation to use them. According to ThisOnlineWorld.com, “Using third-party software to get more blocks is a direct violation of terms of service and will result in deactivation from Amazon Flex.” You will never make $1,000 a week at Amazon Flex if you get deactivated from the app. 

How can Gridwise help you earn more with Amazon Flex?

Gridwise makes gig drivers more successful. In just a few minutes, you can link your Amazon Flex app, and all the apps you use for gig driving, allowing you to automatically track all your mileage, add it up, and provide accurate reports for the maximum deductions at tax time.

Gridwise also analyzes all your gig driving earnings so you can easily understand when and where you’re most profitable – so you can reach that $1000 a week goal!