Updated October 19, 2026: USPS and FedEx dates below are the carriers’ own published 2026 holiday dates. UPS posts its year-end ship-by dates on ups.com, and its ground dates depend on your route. Carriers can revise holiday schedules, so recheck before you ship.

Holiday Shipping Deadlines 2026: Every Carrier’s Cutoff Dates

Christmas 2026 falls on Friday, December 25. For delivery before Christmas within the lower 48 states, USPS recommends shipping by:

Thursday, December 17 for Ground Advantage and First-Class Mail
Friday, December 18 for Priority Mail
Saturday, December 19 for Priority Mail Express

FedEx’s 2026 schedule, which targets delivery by December 24, runs from December 15 for Ground Economy to December 23 for overnight services and December 24 for FedEx SameDay. International mail has to leave much earlier. USPS’s recommended date for First-Class Package International Service and Priority Mail International is December 9 to every region.

Key Takeaways

USPS (lower 48): Ground Advantage and First-Class Mail Dec. 17, Priority Mail Dec. 18, Priority Mail Express Dec. 19.
USPS to Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and U.S. territories: First-Class Mail Dec. 17, Priority Mail Dec. 18, Priority Mail Express Dec. 19. Ground Advantage has a service expectation of 10 days or more, so ship it much earlier.
USPS international: Dec. 9 for First-Class Package International and Priority Mail International, Dec. 16 for Priority Mail Express International.
USPS military (APO/FPO/DPO): Ground Advantage Nov. 4, First-Class Mail and Priority Mail Dec. 9.
FedEx (arrive by Dec. 24): Overnight Dec. 23, 2Day Dec. 22, Express Saver Dec. 21. Ground and Home Delivery run from Dec. 17 for 5-day routes to Dec. 23 for 1-day routes.
Holiday surcharges are in effect. USPS’s temporary peak prices run October 4, 2026 to January 17, 2027, and FedEx’s demand surcharges run through January 17, 2027.

USPS 2026 Holiday Shipping Dates

USPS’s recommended send-by dates for expected delivery before December 25 are below. USPS notes that actual delivery depends on origin, destination, Post Office acceptance time and other conditions.

Contiguous U.S. (lower 48 states):

USPS service	Send by
USPS Ground Advantage	Thursday, Dec. 17
First-Class Mail (cards, letters)	Thursday, Dec. 17
Priority Mail	Friday, Dec. 18
Priority Mail Express	Saturday, Dec. 19

Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and U.S. territories:

USPS service	Send by
USPS Ground Advantage	Ship well ahead. USPS lists a service expectation of 10 days or more between the lower 48 and these areas.
First-Class Mail	Thursday, Dec. 17
Priority Mail	Friday, Dec. 18
Priority Mail Express	Saturday, Dec. 19

USPS notes that it no longer processes guaranteed-service refund requests for Priority Mail Express to these destinations, though it still processes refund requests for loss. Use the USPS Service Commitments tool to see the expected delivery date for your exact ZIP Codes and mailing date.

International (every region USPS lists):

USPS gives the same dates for Africa, Asia/Pacific Rim, Australia/New Zealand, Canada, the Caribbean, Central and South America, Europe, Mexico and the Middle East:

First-Class Package International Service: Wednesday, Dec. 9
Priority Mail International: Wednesday, Dec. 9
Priority Mail Express International: Wednesday, Dec. 16

Military and diplomatic mail (APO/FPO/DPO):

Addressed to	Ground Advantage	First-Class Mail	Priority Mail	Priority Mail Express Military
ZIPs 090-092 and 094-099	Nov. 4	Dec. 9	Dec. 9	Dec. 16
ZIP 093	Nov. 4	Dec. 9	Dec. 9	Not available
ZIP 340 and ZIPs 962-966	Nov. 4	Dec. 9	Dec. 9	Dec. 16

Priority Mail Express Military Service is available only at selected military and diplomatic Post Offices, so check with your local Post Office first.

FedEx 2026 Holiday Shipping Deadlines

FedEx’s 2026 deadlines are the last ship dates for packages scheduled to arrive by Thursday, December 24.

U.S. domestic package services:

FedEx service	Last day to ship
FedEx SameDay	Thursday, Dec. 24
First Overnight, Priority Overnight, Standard Overnight	Wednesday, Dec. 23
FedEx 2Day and 2Day A.M.	Tuesday, Dec. 22
FedEx Express Saver	Monday, Dec. 21
FedEx Ground and Home Delivery, 1-day transit	Wednesday, Dec. 23
FedEx Ground and Home Delivery, 2-day transit	Tuesday, Dec. 22
FedEx Ground and Home Delivery, 3-day transit	Monday, Dec. 21
FedEx Ground and Home Delivery, 4-day transit	Friday, Dec. 18
FedEx Ground and Home Delivery, 5-day transit	Thursday, Dec. 17
FedEx Ground Economy	Tuesday, Dec. 15

FedEx says Ground and Home Delivery normally take 1 to 5 business days within the contiguous U.S., and 3 to 7 to and from Alaska and Hawaii. Its last-ship dates for these services assume a regular scheduled pickup or a drop-off at a staffed FedEx location. Check the FedEx ground transit map for your origin and destination.

FedEx international:

Destination	Last day to ship
Canada	International First and International Priority: Wed., Dec. 23. International Economy and Connect Plus: Mon., Dec. 21.
Mexico	International First and International Priority: Tue., Dec. 22. International Economy and Connect Plus: Mon., Dec. 21.
Puerto Rico	International First and International Priority: Wed., Dec. 23. International Economy: Tue., Dec. 22.

FedEx notes that its international dates don’t include time for customs clearance and that deliveries outside major cities may take longer. For other countries it points shippers to its rate and transit-time tool.

FedEx holiday operations: FedEx is closed on Thanksgiving (Nov. 26), Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. It runs modified service on Nov. 25 and 27 and on Dec. 24 and 31, including modified Ground pickups on December 24 and 31.

UPS 2026 Holiday Shipping

UPS publishes its year-end holiday schedule and air ship-by dates on ups.com. UPS Ground ship-by dates depend on the route, so the fastest way to get yours is the Calculate Time and Cost tool on UPS’s shipping tools page. Enter your origin, destination and ship date. UPS Ground typically delivers in 1 to 5 business days, so a cross-country Ground package needs a full business week or more before December 24.

Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and New Year’s

USPS points out that Hanukkah runs December 4 to 12 in 2026, much earlier than Christmas, so adjust gift timing accordingly. USPS doesn’t publish separate Hanukkah dates. Work back from the first night (Friday, December 4) using USPS’s delivery estimates of 2-3 days for Priority Mail and 2-5 days for Ground Advantage, and allow for Thanksgiving: FedEx, for example, is closed on November 26. Kwanzaa runs December 26 to January 1, so the Christmas dates above cover it.

Holiday Surcharges in Effect

USPS: From October 4, 2026 through January 17, 2027, USPS adds a temporary increase to Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, Ground Advantage and Parcel Select. Retail examples:

Priority Mail and Ground Advantage, Zones 1-4: $0.50 for 0-3 lb, up to $3.90 for 26-70 lb.
Priority Mail, Zones 5-9: $1.00 for 0-3 lb, up to $9.10 for 26-70 lb.
Ground Advantage, Zones 5-9: $0.75 for 0-3 lb, up to $7.50 for 26-70 lb.
Priority Mail Flat Rate: $1.00 per item, or $2.10 for the Large Flat Rate Box.

USPS’s separate time-limited 8% transportation-related increase also ends January 17, 2027.

FedEx: FedEx’s 2026 demand surcharges per package (they don’t apply to FedEx One Rate packages) are:

Service	Oct. 26-Nov. 22	Nov. 23-Dec. 27	Dec. 28-Jan. 17
Ground and Home Delivery, residential	$0.50	$0.80	$0.50
2Day A.M., 2Day, Express Saver	$1.20	$2.35	$1.20
First, Priority and Standard Overnight	$1.30	$2.55	$1.30

From September 28, FedEx’s demand additional-handling charge is $8.80 per package, rising to $11.85 from Nov. 23 to Dec. 27. The demand oversize charge is $95.75, rising to $117.25. Enterprise shippers sending more than 20,000 residential packages a week can also pay a weekly “Demand — Residential Delivery Charge.”

UPS: If you ship on a UPS account, check UPS’s current surcharge notices before peak, as UPS sets its own seasonal charges.

Guarantees During the Holidays

USPS Priority Mail Express is sold with a money-back guarantee for most domestic addresses. USPS says it doesn’t process guaranteed-service refunds for Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the territories or military Priority Mail Express.
FedEx says its money-back guarantee currently applies to First Overnight, Priority Overnight, Standard Overnight and 2Day A.M., and remains suspended for its other services. FedEx suspended the guarantee for those same overnight services during the 2025 peak, from December 1, 2025 until January 13, 2026, so check its status before relying on it.
UPS publishes its guarantee terms in the UPS Rate and Service Guide. Check whether they apply on your ship date.

Last-Minute Options

Upgrade the service. If ground dates have passed, Priority Mail Express (USPS, by Dec. 19) or FedEx overnight (by Dec. 23) are the remaining options.
FedEx SameDay runs 24/7, 365 days a year for urgent local and regional deliveries, at a premium.
Ship to a pickup location. FedEx Home Delivery recipients can ask FedEx to hold a package at a nearby location. USPS can send packages to a P.O. Box.
Buy near the recipient. Order from a retailer with pickup in the recipient’s town.
Send a gift card now, and the gift later. A digital gift card arrives instantly.

If a Package Is Late or Lost

Track it with the carrier’s tracking number first. Holiday scans can lag.
Contact the carrier: USPS 1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777), UPS 1-800-742-5877, FedEx 1-800-463-3339.
File a claim once the carrier’s waiting period has passed. For USPS insured mail and Priority Mail, loss claims can be filed 15 to 60 days after mailing. See How to File a USPS/FedEx/UPS Claim.

Seller Prep Checklist

Now (October): Post your shop’s holiday order-by dates based on the carrier dates above, plus your own handling time. Order free USPS Priority Mail boxes early, since USPS says delivery takes 7 to 10 days.
November: Watch FedEx’s demand-surcharge step-up on November 23, and expect the Thanksgiving closure on November 26.
December: After ground cutoffs pass, promote expedited options or gift cards. Watch the carriers’ service-alert pages for weather delays.
January: USPS’s temporary prices end January 17, 2027, and FedEx’s 2027 rate increase, an average of 5.9%, takes effect January 4, 2027.

For carrier choice, see FedEx vs UPS vs USPS. For packing gifts that survive the rush, see How to Ship Fragile Items. For international gifts, see International Shipping from the US.

Holiday Shipping Deadlines 2026: Every Carrier's Cutoff Dates