Exhibit 99.1

EARNINGS RELEASE

By:		Expeditors International of Washington, Inc. 1015 Third Avenue, Suite 1200 Seattle, Washington 98104

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

EXPEDITORS ANNOUNCES 46% FIRST QUARTER OPERATING INCOME INCREASE

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – May 4, 2011, Expeditors International of Washington, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXPD) today announced net earnings attributable to shareholders of $91,232,000 for the first quarter of 2011, as compared with $61,247,000 for the same quarter of 2010, an increase of 49%. Net revenues for the first quarter increased 25% to $453,915,000 as compared with $361,823,000 reported for the first quarter of 2010. Total revenues and operating income were $1,460,848,000 and $147,230,000 for the first quarter of 2011, as compared with $1,201,109,000 and $100,541,000 for the same quarter of 2010, increases of 22% and 46%, respectively. Diluted net earnings attributable to shareholders per share for the first quarter were $.42 as compared with $.28 for the same quarter in 2010, an increase of 50%. The Company also reported that same store net revenues and operating income increased 25% and 46%, respectively, during the first quarter of 2011, as compared with the same period in 2010.

“We should start off by acknowledging that this was an outstanding quarter by every measure. We always like to point out that it is our people, working in concert with our service providers, who really make this happen, and it is our customers who have given us the opportunities. We’re grateful to all of them. The most remarkable thing to us about this 2011 first quarter was the strong across the board operating income growth. All of our geographic operating segments made outstanding contributions. We think this means that we must be doing something right, not just in a few offices, but throughout our global network,” said Peter J. Rose, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “We were also impressed with the extent that productivity initiatives continue to benefit our operating income growth. A focus on strong market share growth and efficient operations has been the solid foundation upon which we continue to build our company,” Rose went on to say.

“Whenever we report above-consensus results, there follows a great deal of curiosity by some about what that means for our future expectations. Often a ‘mechanical upward adjustment’ by the amount we exceeded that quarter’s consensus is added onto to what were already challenging future expectations. Those who know us well know that we always decline to make projections and forecasts. What we do try to offer, however, are things that we think about internally that we wish everyone externally would consider. We think about rising fuel costs, rising costs in general, as inflation (which is now globally topical after not having been mentioned for years) and global political unrest. Volatile currency exchange rates and the current status of the US dollar should also be factored in. Does this mean we’re pessimistic? No, not at all. We think we do our best work helping our customers navigate through chaos and unexpected events, and in that sense, opportunity abounds. But we do think that future expectations need to be founded on realistic assessments of current conditions. They should not simply become a mechanical extrapolation exercise that slingshots a number out there from a base created by one single, albeit outstanding, quarter,” concluded Rose.

Expeditors is a global logistics company headquartered in Seattle, Washington. The company employs trained professionals in 184 full-service offices, 65 satellite locations and 2 international service centers located on six continents linked into a seamless worldwide network through an integrated information management system. Services include air and ocean freight forwarding, vendor consolidation, customs clearance, marine insurance, distribution and other value added international logistics services.

NOTE: See Disclaimer on Forward-Looking Statements on the following page of this release.

Expeditors International of Washington, Inc.

1^st Quarter 2011 Earnings Release, May 4, 2011

Financial highlights for the three months ended March 31, 2011 (Unaudited)

(in 000’s of US dollars except share data)

During the first quarter of 2011, the Company opened one satellite office in Kristiansand, Norway and closed one satellite office in Malmoe, Sweden.

Investors may submit written questions via e-mail to: investor@expeditors.com. Or by fax to: (206) 674-3459. Questions received by the end of business on May 6, 2011 will be considered in management’s 8-K “Responses to Selected Questions” expected to be filed on or about May 18, 2011.

Disclaimer on Forward-Looking Statements:

Certain portions of this release contain forward-looking statements which are based on certain assumptions and expectations of future events that are subject to risks and uncertainties, including comments on future ability to improve productivity and operating income, rising fuel costs, rising costs in general, global political unrest, volatile currency exchange rates, status of the US Dollar and our ability to help customers navigate through chaos and unexpected events. Actual future results and trends may differ materially from historical results or those projected in any forward-looking statements depending on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, our ability to maintain consistent and stable operating results, future success of our business model, ability to perpetuate profits, changes in customer demand for Expeditors’ services caused by a general economic slow-down, customers’ inventory build-up, decreased consumer confidence, volatility in equity markets, energy prices, political changes, regulatory changes or the unpredictable acts of competitors and other risks, risk factors and uncertainties detailed in our Annual Report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

EXPEDITORS INTERNATIONAL OF WASHINGTON, INC.

AND SUBSIDIARIES

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

(In thousands, except share data)

(Unaudited)

EXPEDITORS INTERNATIONAL OF WASHINGTON, INC.

AND SUBSIDIARIES

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Earnings

(In thousands, except share data)

(Unaudited)

EXPEDITORS INTERNATIONAL OF WASHINGTON, INC.

AND SUBSIDIARIES

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(In thousands)

(Unaudited)

EXPEDITORS INTERNATIONAL OF WASHINGTON, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

Business Segment Information

(In thousands)

(Unaudited)