SUN Country Airlines has taken delivery of the first of eight Boeing 737-800 freighters that it will operate on behalf of Amazon, reports London's Air Cargo News.

The Minneapolis-based airline expects its cargo revenue to double by this time next year as a result of the contract.

By summer this year it is expected that the airline will have taken delivery of all eight aircraft, said Sun Country Airlines CEO Jude Bricker.

"This aircraft is yet to enter service. But by summer, we will have all eight aircraft growing the [Amazon] cargo fleet to 20," he said.

Said company president and CFO Dave Davis: "We expect them to start service in March, and then enter service throughout the year. They should all be in by late summer into the fourth quarter."

Mr Davis confirmed that the first of the eight additional freighters for Amazon, which last year confirmed it had begun selling cargo capacity on its aircraft to third parties, is expected to enter service late in the first quarter.

Sun Country first started operating aircraft for Amazon in May 2020 after the two companies struck a 10-aircraft sublease deal, which was later extended by two aircraft.