Amazon will use Hawaiian Airlines to fly its first Airbus freighters on primary cargo routes and to Hawaii beginning in the second half of 2023, the airline's top executive said late Friday.

The retail giant selected Hawaiian Airlines because of the carrier's familiarity with the A330-300 aircraft, cargo handling experience, track record completing flights and on-time performance as a passenger airline, according to President and CEO Peter Ingram.

For Hawaiian, the outsourced transportation deal represents a sizable new revenue stream and growth opportunity. It will use the next six to eight months preparing for the contract to start.

In a late Friday conference call with analysts, Ingram said Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) approached Hawaiian Airlines (NASDAQ: HA) several months ago about a potential partnership.