Parcels jam a conveyor belt at the US Postal Service’s sorting and handling facility in Boston.
Charles Krupa / AP
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Charles Krupa / AP
Parcels jam a conveyor belt at the US Postal Service’s sorting and handling facility in Boston.
Charles Krupa / AP
It’s the most amazing time of year, and while the holiday season may have hit some of us, that doesn’t mean last-minute shipping woes need to be on your way, too.
Retailers across the US are urging customers to end their holiday shopping earlier this year, as supply chain problems and other shortages are raising concerns for many of the hot items on this year’s shopping list.
The US Postal Service, FedEx, and UPS have all announced the December 25th deadline for sending packages and holiday cards – asking customers to ship their holiday packages sooner, not later.
“We are ready and positioned for a successful peak season,” Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said in a statement. last week. “Americans should feel confident sending their holiday cards, mail, and packages with the Postal Service. There’s a sense of excitement throughout. [USPS] and our entire team is ready to bring the holidays to the whole country. “
Here’s a list of the key shipping deadlines for each service – AKA is the last possible date for you to delay sending those packages:
United States Postal Service
USPS officials recommend shipping your items by the following dates to ensure they arrive before Christmas Day:
2021 holiday shipping dates for regions contiguous to the US
- December 15: USPS Retail Ground Services
- December 17: First-class mail service (including holiday greeting cards)
- December 17: First class package
- December 18: Priority mail
- December 23: Priority Mail Express Delivery
2021 Holiday Shipping Dates for Alaska and Hawaii
Alaska
- December 2nd: USPS Retail Ground Services
- December 18: First-class mail service
- December 18: Priority mail
- December 21: Priority Mail Express Delivery
Hawaii
- December 17: First class mail
- December 17: Priority mail
- December 21: Priority Mail Express Delivery
For more information on international and military shipping deadlines, Check out the USPS and their full list here.
UPS
In order for your packages to be delivered before Christmas Day, UPS recommends that customers ship their packages by the following deadlines:
- December 21: Choose from 3 days
- December 22: Air Service Monday
- December 23: Next Day Air Service
If you are using ground transportation, UPS has online calculator to help you determine when your package will arrive online tools to check exact quote.
For a complete list of shipping options, including international shipping, click here.
FedEx
If you can’t help but send those vacation packages at very Last minute, FedEx could be your option to get them to their destination on time. Here is a list of FedEx delivery deadlines:
- December 9th: Ground Economy & Freight
- December 15: Home and ground delivery
- December 21: Express Saver
- December 22: 2Day & 2Day-AM
- December 23: Overnight service
- December 24: Service of the day
For more information on other deadlines, such as international destinations, click here.
