In November and December, delivery companies hire fleets of seasonal delivery drivers to handle the massive yearly spike in delivery demand.
Amazon Flex began to onboard seasonal drivers for the 2022 holiday season. Starting in November 2022, people on the Flex driver waitlist began to receive invitations to deliver for Flex on a seasonal basis.
And after a few months busy with deliveries, those seasonal drivers were moved back onto the waitlist in early January.
2023 holiday season update: Amazon is onboarding seasonal drivers in some markets. A support agent told us, “Currently, there’s availability to deliver seasonally with Amazon Flex in your area during the busy holiday season until January 3, 2024.”
Flex drivers are back on the waitlist after the holiday season ends
A brief delivery gig during the busy season was a profitable short-term gig for many drivers, but some disappointed Flexers never realized Amazon only hired them for the season!
Some didn’t read the fine print, and others received a few contradictory emails from Amazon that made their status unclear.
“I just signed up, only to realize I’m seasonal”
“How do I know if I’m seasonal? I’m confused”
Now that seasonal driving is possible on Amazon Flex, you’ll want to know how it works and what to expect from your new seasonal gig.
How to become a seasonal driver for Amazon Flex
Currently, there is no way to directly sign up as a seasonal Flex driver. Instead, you have to join the Flex waitlist and receive an invitation to become a seasonal driver.
In November, you may get an email invitation from Amazon asking you to deliver for the holiday season. If you agree to sign up as a seasonal driver, you will only be able to do deliveries until the cutoff date, typically in the first weeks of January.
When the seasonal period ends, Amazon will move you back to the waitlist and you won’t be able to do deliveries anymore.
Another possibility is that you’ll be invited to become a year-round Flex driver. In that case, you’ll be free to deliver for Flex whenever you want. You won’t be limited to just the holiday season.
Not sure if you’re seasonal? Contact Amazon
If you’re not sure if you are seasonal or year-round, email Amazon Flex support at: [email protected].
You can also wait until early January and see if your account gets waitlisted in the first months of the new year.
What happens once your seasonal Flex gig is over: Back on the wait list
You will automatically be added to a waiting list after your seasonal period ends.
Amazon will let you know the exact dates of your seasonal period when you first sign up and when the end of the seasonal period ends.
Once you’re on the waitlist, you won’t be able to see delivery offers anymore. However, the Flex app will show that you’re on the waitlist.
After the seasonal period ends, the Flex app will only show this waitlist screen
There’s no way to know how long you’ll be on the waitlist. Amazon closely controls the supply of Flex drivers, so you could be on the wait list for months or even over a year if there isn’t a strong need for new drivers in your area.
While you wait, try other delivery apps. Many are just as flexible as Flex and offer similar earnings with less driving.
What it’s like to be a seasonal Flex driver
Delivering for Flex as a seasonal driver is the same as delivering as a year-round driver. The app is the same, the pay is the same, and the delivery procedures are the same.
Here’s the Flex gig in a nutshell:
- Use the Amazon Flex app to choose delivery routes (called “Offers”)
- Pay is ~$18–$36 per hour. Offers show the route payout upfront
- Navigate to the pickup location, usually an Amazon warehouse
- Use the Flex app to navigate to customers and drop off packages
- You can call Amazon support if you need help with a drop-off
- Ratings are important. You can be deactivated if they drop
Read our full guide to delivering for Flex to see more detail about selecting routes and doing deliveries.
More help for Flex drivers
Omar Melendez soto says
Hello, I applied for Amazon Flex in which you can help me. I have experience as Amazon Prime managed by Step. The reason I am not here is because the company left for another city. I want to start as Amazon Flex. I do not have a job. I am the father of 2 girls. Can you help me? please in the cleveland ohio area please I hope you can understand me with this situation thank you I hope to hear good news