There are a number of FedEx Hubs in the USA. Today we are going to look at where these are, how they work, and how you can tell which hub your package is being sent through.
We’ll also go through some common FedEx Hub FAQs and cover other important details.
SUMMARY: FedEx Hubs in the USA
- There are currently 13 FedEx Express Air Hub facilities in the USA
- There are 39 FedEx Ground Hubs in the USA
- The largest FedEx Hub in the U.S is Memphis, Tennesse (also known as the Super Hub)
- Other FedEx Hub locations include Miami, Dallas, Indianapolis, and Oakland, California.
How Many FedEx Hubs are There in the USA in 2022?
According to the FedEx U.S. website, there are a total of 13 FedEx Express Air Hub facilities located strategically around the USA. There are also 39 FedEx Ground Hubs.
FedEx Express Air Hubs
FedEx Express uses cargo planes to transport packages around the USA and the world quickly. Because of this, the service utilizes hubs based at airports.
To this end, FedEx Express has 13 airport-based hubs that process overnight packages in the USA.
There are other hubs located around the world too, including Canada, France, and Japan.
The FedEx hub in Memphis is the most well-known, (more on that below). However, other airport FedEx locations include Miami, Dallas, Indianapolis, and Oakland, California.
FedEx Memphis (Super Hub)
The largest FedEx Air Hub in the U.S. is the Memphis primary distribution center, (also known as the FedEx Super Hub).
This location is also the U.S. headquarters of FedEx. There are some incredible statistics about the FedEx Memphis Super Hub
The hub processes between 1.3 million and 1.5 million packages every night on average and more than 10,000 employees work there. It also has its own fire department.
- Related Content: What does “Tendered for Delivery” mean when using FedEx?
FedEx Ground Hubs
FedEx Ground has close to 600 facilities across the United States with 39 hubs in 2022.
The increase in FedEx Ground hubs has occurred in recent years as FedEx made efforts to replace the last mile of delivery for FedEx SmartPost from USPS, to its own network.
[Note: They have succeeded at this and the service is now called FedEx Ground Economy.]
The FedEx Ground locations are not listed publicly, however, cities such as Metuchen, New Jersey, Ocala, Florida, Houston, Texas, and Champaign, Illinois are known to have these hubs.
A look at some of the FedEx Ground & Ground Economy statistics sheds light on the volume of traffic going through these hubs.
The FedEx Ground network employs over 95,000 people and distributes about 7.5 million packages daily.
- Related Content: What Does “Left FedEx Origin Facility” Mean?
How Does the FedEx Hub System Work?
FedEx uses what is known in logistics as a hub and spoke system. As you can see from the diagram above, this is far more efficient than a point-to-point system.
It enables FedEx to streamline its logistics solutions and make faster, more reliable deliveries.
As we have covered, FedEx uses different hub systems for the various services that it provides.
The hub system works so that each regional operation can sort and distribute packages coming in and out of its area.
Where Express packages have to be sent (or received) across multiple states and overseas, they can be redistributed via a hub in the Express network with great speed.
The Ground hubs work the same way. The “spokes” then flow to and from these hubs to the smaller regional networks that are responsible for pick-up and delivery.
- Related Content: FedEx Package Available for Clearance – A Complete Guide
What FedEx Hub is My Package Going Through?
The shipping label will provide you with details on which hub the package is going through.
The first letter in the large row of letters below the tracking number on your label designates the FedEx Hub that the package will go through.
The first letter in the red box above is X. Looking at the FedEx hub codes we know that X corresponds to the Memphis hub. In other words, this package will travel via Memphis on its journey toward delivery.
Other Hub destination examples are listed below. Remember, only the first letter is associated with the hub.
- AH CHDA [A = Forth Worth, TX]
- XO ZFTA [X = Memphis, TN]
- NH CHDA [N = Indianapolis, IN]
- EH CHDA [E = Newark, NJ]
- 3C HSTA [A Number = In State]
Essentially, if you are sending or receiving a FedEx express package the likelihood is it will be sent via one of the FedEx Air Hubs, (unless the distance between shipper and recipient is small).
SmartPost (Ground Economy) shippers can also find information on the hub that their shipments will travel through. This is revealed by the Hub ID code.
Below is an example of FedEx SmartPost Hub ID codes. (Click here for the full list.)
Hub ID | Code | Location |
5185 | ALPA | Allentown |
5303 | ATGA | Atlanta |
5281 | CHNC | Charlotte |
5929 | COCA | Chino |
5751 | DLTX | Dallas |
5802 | DNCO | Denver |
5481 | DTMI | Detroit |
Why Do FedEx Packages go Through Memphis?
A lot of FedEx packages go through the super hub at Memphis, simply because it is the largest.
More packages can be processed at Memphis, with a greater frequency of cargo planes flying in and out along the spoke network.
Over 240 flights a day are said to be made from the Memphis Hub.
Utilizing such a large hub helps to reduce the number of flights required across the entire network, as well as ensure timely deliveries.
How Big is the FedEx Memphis Hub?
We covered some of the stats above, but for anyone that likes to be amazed at the sheer scale of this place here are a few more.
The FedEx Memphis hub covers approximately 880 acres, with 3.7 million square feet of that space being under the roof.
- Related Content: FedEx Scheduled Delivery Pending – A Complete Guide
Why do FedEx Packages go Through Anchorage, Alaska?
Overseas packages to and from East Asia will go through the FedEx Anchorage Hub in Alaska due to the earth’s curvature.
It is simply faster and more fuel-efficient to ship packages between East Asia and the U.S. via this Hub.
Are Any Tracking Updates Related to FedEx Hub Activity?
There are a number of FedEx tracking updates that are related to hub activity.
The most obvious ones are “Arrived at FedEx Hub” and “Departed FedEx hub“. These clearly mean what they state.
When a package has arrived at a hub it has just been scanned but has not yet been sorted for its onward delivery.
Departed hub means that the package has left the hub and has started its onward journey.
“Departed FedEx Location“, is a similar notification that can mean that a package has just left a FedEx hub and is on the next part of its journey toward delivery.
Similarly, “Arrived at FedEx Location” can mean that package has just arrived at a FedEx Hub.
Ultimately, as the vast majority of FedEx packages have to be processed via a hub, you will undoubtedly receive a tracking update related to hub activity.
Can I Pick up a Package from a FedEx Hub?
Generally, you cannot pick up a package from a FedEx hub.
However, if you are expecting a large inbound shipment of time/temperature-sensitive Items, you can contact FedEx and make arrangements to pick it up.
Examples would be a shipment of live animals or frozen cargo.
- Related Content: Tracking Guide: Yodel National Hub – Where is Your Package?
Final Words
FedEx Hubs allow for faster, more efficient deliveries.
If you have any other questions that we haven’t covered on the subject of FedEx hubs in the USA, leave them in the comments.