Who Is the Biggest Logistics Company in the US?

When you order something online and it shows up at your door in two days, someone behind the scenes is moving it across the country - often through a network of warehouses, planes, trucks, and drivers that’s bigger than most countries’ militaries. But who runs the biggest piece of that machine in the United States? It’s not who you might think.

UPS and FedEx Have Been the Giants for Decades

For most of the last 40 years, the title of biggest logistics company in the U.S. went back and forth between UPS and a global package delivery company founded in 1907 that operates over 120,000 vehicles and handles more than 25 million packages daily in the U.S. alone and FedEx a transportation and logistics company launched in 1971 that built its reputation on overnight air shipping and now moves over 16 million packages daily across its U.S. network. Both have massive fleets, thousands of distribution centers, and long-term contracts with retailers, hospitals, and government agencies.

UPS leads in ground delivery volume, especially in urban areas where its brown trucks dominate city streets. FedEx dominates air freight and time-sensitive shipments, especially for businesses that need guaranteed next-day delivery. In 2025, UPS reported $102 billion in annual revenue, while FedEx hit $94 billion. That gap isn’t just about size - it’s about how they’ve structured their operations. UPS owns more of its own infrastructure: terminals, sorting hubs, and even its own fueling stations. FedEx relies more on third-party carriers for last-mile delivery in rural zones.

Amazon Logistics Is the Hidden Giant

But here’s the twist: Amazon Logistics Amazon’s in-house delivery network that started in 2013 and now handles over 60% of its own U.S. shipments, with over 1,000 fulfillment centers and a fleet of more than 100,000 delivery vans isn’t even listed as a public company - yet it moves more packages in the U.S. than any other single entity.

Amazon doesn’t publish exact package numbers, but third-party analysts estimate it handles over 5 billion packages annually in the U.S. That’s more than UPS and FedEx combined. Why? Because Amazon doesn’t just ship for others - it ships for itself. Every Prime order, every return, every replacement part - it all flows through Amazon’s own system. And it’s not just vans. Amazon owns cargo planes, leases warehouse space across 48 states, and even partners with local postal workers for rural deliveries.

Amazon’s logistics network is built for speed, not profit margins. It doesn’t need to make money on every delivery - it just needs to get the product to the customer faster than anyone else. That’s why it’s investing billions in autonomous delivery robots, drone testing in Arizona, and AI-driven route optimization tools. It’s not trying to beat FedEx or UPS at their game - it’s rewriting the rules.

What Makes a Logistics Company the "Biggest"?

"Biggest" can mean different things. Is it revenue? Number of packages? Fleet size? Geographic coverage? Employee count?

• Revenue: UPS wins - $102 billion in 2025.
• Package volume: Amazon wins - estimated 5+ billion packages per year.
• Fleet size: UPS leads with 120,000+ ground vehicles; FedEx has 65,000; Amazon has 100,000+ vans and 100+ cargo planes.
• Employee count: UPS employs 550,000 people globally; FedEx has 570,000; Amazon Logistics has over 750,000 workers including warehouse staff and delivery partners.
• Network control: Amazon wins here too - it owns its warehouses, delivery routes, and software systems from end to end.

So if you’re measuring by total packages moved and total people involved, Amazon is the biggest. If you’re measuring by public market value and traditional shipping revenue, UPS takes the crown. And if you’re measuring by how much control a company has over its entire delivery chain, Amazon is the only one that’s truly vertical.

Why It Matters for Businesses and Shoppers

Who’s the biggest doesn’t just matter for trivia - it changes how you ship things. If you’re a small business selling on Amazon, you’re already inside their system. You pay for FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon), and your packages ride on their trucks. You don’t get to choose FedEx or UPS - Amazon decides.

For larger retailers, the choice is more complex. Companies like Walmart and Target are building their own logistics networks to reduce reliance on UPS and FedEx. Why? Because those two companies raised rates by 8-12% in 2024 and again in early 2025. Amazon’s internal system doesn’t charge per package - it charges for storage and fulfillment, which can be cheaper at scale.

For shoppers, it means faster delivery. Amazon Prime now offers same-day delivery in over 100 U.S. cities. UPS and FedEx are catching up, but they’re playing catch-up with legacy systems. Amazon’s software can predict where you’ll want something before you even click "buy." That’s not magic - it’s data, machine learning, and thousands of warehouses placed within 15 miles of 85% of the U.S. population.

The Future Is Not Just Bigger - It’s Smarter

The next decade won’t be about who has the most trucks. It’ll be about who has the smartest software.

UPS uses its ORION an AI-powered route optimization system that saves UPS over 100 million miles and 10 million gallons of fuel annually by calculating the most efficient delivery paths system to plan routes. FedEx uses FedEx SenseAware a real-time tracking system that monitors temperature, humidity, and location of high-value shipments using IoT sensors. But Amazon’s Amazon Logistics Platform a proprietary logistics software suite that integrates inventory, demand forecasting, delivery routing, and driver scheduling into one real-time system connects everything - from warehouse robots to delivery drivers’ smartphones.

Amazon’s software doesn’t just react to orders - it anticipates them. If a heatwave hits Texas, it pre-positions fans and AC units in nearby warehouses. If a storm hits the Midwest, it reroutes shipments before the roads get closed. That kind of intelligence isn’t built overnight. It’s the result of 12 years of constant investment, data collection, and machine learning.

So Who’s Really the Biggest?

There’s no single answer - but if you’re asking who moves the most stuff, controls the most infrastructure, and has the most influence over how goods flow across America, then Amazon Logistics is the biggest logistics company in the U.S. today.

UPS and FedEx are still giants. They’re reliable, regulated, and deeply embedded in the economy. But they’re operating in a world that Amazon reshaped. The old model - pay per package, use third-party networks, rely on fixed delivery windows - is fading. The new model is seamless, predictive, and owned from start to finish.

The biggest logistics company isn’t the one with the most trucks. It’s the one that makes the trucks unnecessary.

If you’re shipping anything today, you’re already part of a system dominated by three giants - and two of them aren’t even trying to be what they used to be.