With school back in session and the leaves slowly starting to change colors, it’s time to start preparing for the holiday season! Holiday shipping deadlines from carriers like USPS, UPS, and FedEx may seem far away, but they’ll be here before you know it.
If you aren’t sure what holiday shipping deadlines are or need a refresher, here’s the gist:
The TL;DR on Shipping Deadlines: Holiday shipping deadlines are the last possible date a package can be shipped with a carrier and arrive at its destination in time for the holidays.
For example, a specific carrier service may require you to ship a package by December 16th to ensure your shipment arrives at its destination by December 25th due to high shipping volumes. Shipping deadlines provide your business and your customers with delivery cutoffs so that Aunt Susan can unwrap her new sweater on Christmas morning.
Additionally, having holiday shipping deadlines before the holiday season is in full swing helps your business make big decisions like whether or not to offer free and/or expedited shipping options. The earlier your customers can find their available shipping options for the holiday season, the more likely they’ll have a great impression of your business. With Christmas falling on a Monday this year, it’s easy to let the weekend before the holiday slip away. This means offering customers overnight shipping options could benefit your business more than it has in the past.
Table of Contents
- USPS Holiday Shipping Deadlines 2023
- FedEx Holiday Shipping Deadlines 2023
- UPS Holiday Shipping Deadlines 2023
- Shipping holidays for USPS, UPS, and FedEx
- The Gift of ShippingEasy
USPS Holiday Shipping Deadlines in the US
| USPS Service | 2023 Shipping Deadline |
|---|---|
| USPS Ground Advantage™ | Saturday, December 16, 2023 |
| First-Class MailⓇ | Saturday, December 16, 2023 |
| Priority MailⓇ | Monday, December 18, 2023 |
| Priority Mail ExpressⓇ | Wednesday, December 20, 2023 |
For international shipping options, check out our 2023 USPS International Shipping Deadlines blog!
| USPS Service | 2023 Shipping Deadline for Alaska | 2023 Shipping Deadline for Hawaii |
|---|---|---|
| USPS Ground Advantage™ | Saturday, December 16, 2023 | Saturday, December 16, 2023 |
| First-Class MailⓇ | Saturday, December 16, 2023 | Saturday, December 16, 2023 |
| Priority MailⓇ | Monday, December 18, 2023 | Saturday, December 16, 2023 |
| Priority Mail ExpressⓇ | Wednesday, December 20, 2023 | Wednesday, December 20, 2023 |
FedEx Holiday Shipping Deadlines in the US
| FedEx Service | 2023 Shipping Deadline |
|---|---|
| FedEx Ground Economy | Wednesday, December 13, 2023 |
| FedEx Ground® | Visit FedEx’s website for more information about shipping deadlines for FedEx Ground®. |
| Home Delivery | Visit FedEx’s website for more information about shipping deadlines for FedEx Home Delivery®. |
| Express Saver | Tuesday, December 19, 2023 |
| 2Day & 2Day AM | Wednesday, December 20, 2023 |
| FedEx Same Day | Friday, December 22, 2023 |
For international shipping deadlines, we recommend reaching out to FedEx directly.
UPS Holiday Shipping Deadlines in the US
| UPS Service | 2023 Shipping Deadline |
|---|---|
| UPS® Ground | Check ups.com/ctc for details |
| UPS® Ground Saver | Check ups.com/ctc for details |
| UPS 3 Day Select® | Tuesday, December 19, 2023 |
| UPS 2nd Day Air® services | Wednesday, December, 20, 2023 *Thursday, December 21, 2023 with Saturday Delivery options |
| UPS Next Day Air® services | Thursday, December 21, 2023 *Friday, December 22, 2023 with Saturday Delivery options |
For international shipping deadlines, we recommend visiting UPS’s website.
Shipping holidays for USPS, UPS, and FedEx
Postal workers and delivery drivers deserve time off just like we do! Carrier holidays are days where most, if not all, carrier services are suspended to give these workers a well-deserved break. Holidays for each service can be found below.
USPS shipping holidays 2023*
- Thanksgiving Day: November 23, 2023
- Christmas Day: Monday 25, 2023
*Note: We’re only including the USPS holidays for the holiday season. A full list of USPS shipping holidays can be found on their website.
UPS shipping holidays 2023*
- Thanksgiving Day: November 23, 2023
- Christmas Eve: December 24, 2023✝
- Christmas Day: December 25, 2023
*Note: We’re only including the UPS holidays for the holiday season. A full list of UPS shipping holidays can be found on their website.
✝Some of The UPS Store® locations may have modified business hours. Check with your local store for specific hours of operation.
FedEx shipping holidays 2023*
- FedEx shipping holidays vary by service and by date throughout the holiday season. Visit FedEx’s website for a complete list of FedEx shipping holidays.
The Gift of ShippingEasy
Keeping your shipping costs down is another major part of the holiday season. Regardless of plan level, all ShippingEasy merchants have access to up to 89% off USPS retail prices and up to 77% off on UPS® Ground shipments, up to 73% for UPS 2nd Day Air® service, up to 72% on UPS Next Day Air® service, and up to 82* off international services through UPS on ShippingEasy.*
*Discounts off UPS daily rates. Rates are limited to shipping from the U.S. only. Rates and any applicable discounts are subject to change at any time without notice.
ShippingEasy merchants also have access to our rate calculator to compare rates in real-time to choose which carrier and service work best for your holiday shipping needs. Trim your trim and shipping costs all in the same season. 🎄
Unwrap the gift of a 30-day free trial today!
Baillee Perkins
