Announcing 2020 holiday shipping deadlines for USPS!
The 2020 USPS holiday shipping deadlines have been announced, and it’s time to mark your calendars…or simply bookmark this page and check the dates below! Help your customers ensure their holiday purchases arrive on time for the big holiday by using these charts to set your shipping service levels.
In the following charts, you’ll find the last shipping date for primary services from USPS to ensure packages arrive before Friday, December 25. Use these dates to set shipping deadlines on your website and decide if and when to offer free shipping.
USPS Domestic Holiday Shipping Deadlines
Below are the USPS holiday shipping deadlines for the most popular domestic products from USPS.
| USPS Holiday Shipping Deadlines | |
|---|---|
| USPS Product | Deadline |
| First Class Mail | 18-Dec |
| Priority Mail | 19-Dec |
| Priority Mail Express* | 23-Dec |
| USPS Retail Ground | 15-Dec |
| DNDC Drop Ship - Marketing Mail | 19-Dec |
| DSCF Drop Ship - Marketing Mail | 21-Dec |
| DDU Drop Ship - Marketing Mail | 22-Dec |
| *Priority Mail Express postage refund eligibility is adjusted for shipments mailed December 22-25 | |
USPS Military Holiday Shipping Deadlines
The below charts break down various military and diplomatic locations and the cutoff times to arrive by December 25.
| Priority Mail Express Military APO/FPO/DPO | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Military Mail Addressed To/From APO/FPO/DPO | Priority Mail Express MilitaryTM Service (PMEMS) *1 | First-Class Mail® Letters and Cards | Priority Mail® |
| AE ZIPs 090-092 | 18-Dec | 11-Dec | 11-Dec |
| AE ZIP 093 | N/A | 9-Dec | 9-Dec |
| AE ZIPs 094-098 | 18-Dec | 11-Dec | 11-Dec |
| AA ZIP 340 | 18-Dec | 11-Dec | 11-Dec |
| AP ZIPs 962-966 | 18-Dec | 11-Dec | 11-Dec |
| *1 PMEMS: is available to selected military /diplomatic post offices. Check with your local Post Office to determine if this service is available to an APO/FPO/DPO address. | |||
| Priority Mail Express Military APO/FPO/DPO (cont.) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Military Mail Addressed To/From APO/FPO/DPO | Parcel Airlift Mail (PAL) *2 | Space Available Mail (SAM) *3 | USPS Retail GroundTM |
| AE ZIPs 090-092 | 4-Dec | 27-Nov | 6-Nov |
| AE ZIP 093 | 4-Dec | 27-Nov | 6-Nov |
| AE ZIPs 094-098 | 4-Dec | 27-Nov | 6-Nov |
| AA ZIP 340 | 4-Dec | 27-Nov | 6-Nov |
| AP ZIPs 962-966 | 4-Dec | 27-Nov | 6-Nov |
| *2 PAL: is a service that provides air transportation for parcels on a space-available basis. It is available for USPS Retail Ground items not exceeding 30 pounds in weight or 60 inches in length and girth combined. The applicable PAL fee must be paid in addition to the regular surface price for each addressed piece sent by PAL service. | |||
| *3 SAM: parcels are paid at USPS Retail Ground prices with maximum weight and size limits of 15 pounds and 60 inches in length and girth combined. SAM parcels are first transported domestically by surface and then to overseas destinations by air on a space-available basis. | |||
USPS International Holiday Shipping Deadlines
If your customers are sending presents overseas, use the below dates to set expectations. Also, be aware that some locations are still currently blocked by USPS due to COVID-19 restrictions. We track those locations and update this page weekly to help you be aware of international locations USPS is not delivering to.
| International Mail | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| International Mail Addressed To | Global Express Guaranteed® (GXG)*** | Priority Mail Express International® (PMEI) | Priority Mail International® (PMI) | First-Class Package International Service® (FCPIS) |
| Africa | Pending | 7-Dec | 30-Nov | 30-Nov |
| Asia/Pacific Rim | Pending | 14-Dec | 7-Dec | 7-Dec |
| Austriala/New Zealand | Pending | 14-Dec | 7-Dec | 7-Dec |
| Canada | Pending | 14-Dec | 7-Dec | 7-Dec |
| Caribbean | Pending | 14-Dec | 7-Dec | 7-Dec |
| Central & South America | Pending | 7-Dec | 30-Nov | 30-Nov |
| Mexico | Pending | 14-Dec | 7-Dec | 7-Dec |
| Europe | Pending | 14-Dec | 7-Dec | 7-Dec |
| Middle East | Pending | 14-Dec | 7-Dec | 7-Dec |
| ***GXG Notes: 1) Cutoff date does not take into account time needed for customs clearance. 2) Should allocate extra transit day(s) for delivery outside major cities. |
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Rob Zaleski
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