MailUSA UPS, FedEx and USPS Rate Increases for 2027: What's Going Up and When
UPS, FedEx and USPS Rate Increases for 2027: What’s Going Up and When
All three big U.S. parcel carriers are raising prices around the turn of the year. UPS’s 2027 general rate increase averages 5.9% and takes effect December 21, 2026. FedEx’s averages 5.9% and takes effect January 4, 2027. USPS, meanwhile, already has temporary holiday prices on its main package services, running from October 4, 2026, through January 17, 2027.
The headline averages hide a lot. Surcharges, minimum charges and weight rules are rising faster than base rates for many shippers, so the real increase on your packages depends on what you send and how far.
Key Takeaways
- UPS: an average net increase of 5.9% on Ground, Air and International daily rates on December 21, a week earlier than in recent years. Small Business Rates rise 4.5% the same day.
- FedEx: standard list rates for U.S., U.S. export and U.S. import services rise an average of 5.9% on January 4, with new paper-document fees on January 18 and zone changes on February 1.
- USPS: temporary peak-season increases of $0.40 to $20.80 per package, depending on service, zone and weight, end January 17, 2027.
- Surcharges matter more than the headline. Analysts at Loop found that five of FedEx’s seven major services rise more than 5.9%, and UPS is raising the minimum billable weight for Additional Handling packages from 40 to 50 pounds.
The 2027 Rate-Change Calendar
| Date | Carrier | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Oct. 4, 2026 to Jan. 17, 2027 | USPS | Temporary holiday prices on Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, USPS Ground Advantage and Parcel Select |
| Nov. 2, 2026 | UPS | New fuel surcharge tables |
| Dec. 21, 2026 | UPS | 2027 general rate increase: average net 5.9%; Small Business Rates up 4.5% |
| Jan. 4, 2027 | FedEx | 2027 general rate increase: average 5.9%; new surcharges, fees and Delivery Area Surcharge ZIP lists |
| Jan. 18, 2027 | FedEx | New $25 Paper Document Fee and $5 Paper Air Waybill Fee |
| Feb. 1, 2027 | FedEx | Zone changes for select U.S. ZIP code pairs |
UPS: 5.9% on December 21
UPS said its daily rates for UPS Ground, UPS Air and International services will increase by an average net of 5.9%, Logistics Management reported. The new rates take effect December 21, “a full week earlier than in recent years.”
“This helps to support ongoing expansion and capability enhancements as we strive to maintain the high levels you expect from UPS,” the company said. “More detailed rate previews will be available at a later date.”
Three other changes stand out:
- Additional Handling. The minimum billable weight for Additional Handling packages rises from 40 pounds to 50 pounds. “The 10 additional pounds on AHS billable weight is huge, as it could be 9% to 22% more depending on the zone,” said Paul Yaussy of the parcel analytics firm Loop.
- Small Business Rates. UPS will raise its published Small Business Rates for Ground, Air and International services by 4.5% on December 21, and a 5% domestic and international fuel surcharge will also apply to those rates.
- Fuel. Separately from the 2027 rates, a new UPS fuel surcharge schedule takes effect November 2, rising “another 0.25%-to-0.50%, depending on the peg,” Logistics Management reported.
FedEx: 5.9% on January 4
“FedEx package standard list rates for U.S., U.S. export, and U.S. import services will increase an average of 5.9%,” the company says on its rate-change page. Minimum rates for FedEx U.S. and international package services also increase.
Some surcharges rise faster than that. According to Logistics Management:
| FedEx surcharge | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Additional Handling (U.S. packages, by zone) | $29.50 to $40.75 | $31.75 to $43.75 |
| Oversize (U.S. packages, by zone) | $255 to $330 | $270 to $355 |
| International oversize | $208 | $225 |
The 5.9% is also an average across services. Loop’s analysis, reported by Supply Chain Dive, found that First Overnight rises 6.01% and 2Day A.M. 6.65%, while Standard Overnight rises 5.16% and Express Saver only 3.09%. FedEx Ground packages between one and five pounds, a common e-commerce weight, rise 6.49%.
“Shippers with transit-tolerant freight currently moving on 2Day should model the Express Saver alternative before their next renewal,” Loop advised.
FedEx is also adding fees later in January. Starting January 18, 2027, a Paper Document Fee of $25 per shipment applies when trade documents are provided on paper, and a Paper Air Waybill Fee of $5 per shipment applies to U.S. domestic and export shipments created with manual paper airbills. On February 1, 2027, FedEx changes the zone classification for select U.S. origin-destination ZIP code pairs, which can move a package into a more expensive zone.
USPS: Holiday Prices Through January 17
USPS’s temporary peak-season prices are already in effect. “This temporary price adjustment is to help cover extra handling costs to ensure a successful peak season,” USPS said when it filed the change on August 25, 2026.
The temporary prices apply to Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, USPS Ground Advantage and Parcel Select. “No other products or services would be affected,” USPS said, so stamps and letters are not part of this change.
USPS retail increases include:
| Service and zones | 0 to 3 lbs | 4 to 10 lbs | 11 to 25 lbs | 26 to 70 lbs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Priority Mail and Ground Advantage, Zones 1-4 | +$0.50 | +$0.80 | +$1.25 | +$3.90 |
| Priority Mail, Zones 5-9 | +$1.00 | +$2.10 | +$4.30 | +$9.10 |
| Ground Advantage, Zones 5-9 | +$0.75 | +$1.40 | +$2.75 | +$7.50 |
Priority Mail Flat Rate prices rise $2.10 for Large Flat Rate Boxes and $1.00 for all other Flat Rate products. Priority Mail Express increases range from $1.40 to $20.80, depending on zone and weight. Commercial prices follow a separate schedule, from $0.40 for the lightest Parcel Select packages and Zone 1-4 Priority Mail and Ground Advantage packages up to $18.20 for the heaviest Priority Mail Express packages.
The temporary prices end at 12 a.m. Central time on January 17, 2027.
How to Soften the Increases
- Check your weights. UPS’s Additional Handling change means packages that were not affected at 40 pounds now are. Lighter packing materials can keep a box under a threshold.
- Price the slower service. With FedEx Express Saver rising only 3.09% on average, shipments that can wait an extra day may cost less there than on 2Day.
- Negotiate minimums separately. Minimum charges are rising faster than base rates on four of five FedEx services, Yaussy said, and a base-rate discount does not fix that. “It has to be negotiated on its own,” he said.
- Avoid paper. FedEx’s new $25 and $5 fees apply only to paper trade documents and manual paper airbills.
- Compare carriers per package. The cheapest carrier changes by weight and zone. See FedEx vs UPS vs USPS and our Shipping Rate Calculator: Cheapest Option.
For holiday cutoff dates, see Holiday Shipping Deadlines 2026.
Sources
- Logistics Management: UPS announces 5.9% average rate increase for 2027, effective December 21 (accessed October 31, 2026)
- FedEx: Shipping rate changes (accessed October 31, 2026)
- Logistics Management: FedEx’s 2027 rate hike set to outpace 5.9% headline for many shippers (accessed October 31, 2026)
- Supply Chain Dive: FedEx preps 5.9% rate hike, surcharge increases for 2027 (Sept. 21, 2026)
- USPS: Temporary Price Change for 2026 Holiday Shipping Season (Aug. 25, 2026)
- USPS: Temporary Price Change for 2026 Holiday Shipping Season, full price list (PDF, Aug. 25, 2026)