'Tis the season to get into planning mode for the winter holidays, especially if you are purchasing gifts for kids, which also means knowing when you need to send mail and packages to have them arrive on time.
Unlike last year, when Dec. 24 fell on a Sunday, pushing deadlines earlier, you have until the day or two before the Christmas holidays to get your packages in the mail, depending on the service you're using—though waiting until the very last minute for expedited shipping will definitely cost you. You're better off marking your calendar with these dates now, and sending gifts well in advance.
Here are the 2024 holiday shipping deadlines for USPS, UPS, and FedEx.
Mark these dates on your calendar to avoid missing holiday arrivals:
Ship by Dec. 18 with Ground Advantage (Dec. 16 for Hawaii and Alaska)
Ship by Dec. 18 with First-Class Mail
Ship by Dec. 19 with Priority Mail Service
Ship by Dec. 21 with Priority Mail Express Service (Dec. 20 for Hawaii and Alaska)
Local post offices will be closed on Dec. 25, and mail will not be picked up or delivered. Check with your nearest branch for any other changes in holiday hours.
Ship by Dec. 19 with UPS 3 Day Select
Ship by Dec. 20 with UPS 2nd Day Air
Ship by Dec. 23 with UPS Next Day Air
Use the shipping calculator to determine the deadline for on-time holiday arrival with UPS Ground.
UPS stores will be open on Dec. 24, and the service will conduct normal delivery, but pickups will be offered only for prearranged Air and International Air packages. Any Next Day Air pickups will be delivered on Dec. 26. UPS locations may be closed on Dec. 25, and no pickup or delivery service will be available. Check with your local store for modified hours.
Ship by Dec. 13 with FedEx Ground Economy
Ship by Dec. 19 with FedEx Express Saver
Ship by Dec. 20 with FedEx 2Day and 2Day AM
Ship by Dec. 23 with FedEx First Overnight, Priority Overnight, and Standard Overnight
Ship by Dec. 24 with FedEx SameDay
FedEx Ground and FedEx Home Delivery services are available until Dec. 23 with varied rates depending on the number of days needed to ship.
FedEx Office locations may be open on Dec. 24 with limited hours, and some shipping services will be available. FedEx is closed on Dec. 25.
