Final chance to ensure Christmas gifts arrive on time with shorter holiday season as USPS, FedEx & UPS switch deadlines
Customers have a limited amount of time to purchase their desired last-minute holiday presents this year.
There is barely time for any packages to reach loved ones’ doors because Christmas is just seven days away.
The holiday season has also been curtailed due to the dates falling in 2024, so shoppers must have planned ahead.
To handle the surge in orders, FedEx, UPS, and the US Postal Service (USPS) have also gone above and above by hiring seasonal workers.
The USPS reported employing about 7,500 more employees.
“So, ship early and enjoy your holiday season,” said Steve Monteith, executive vice president and chief customer and marketing officer for the USPS, in a statement to customers.
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USPS
Some important send-by dates for December 25 are approaching, so anyone wishing to ship with USPS needs to be aware of them.
The deadline for getting products out and having them delivered by Christmas is December 18 if you intend to send gifts using Ground Advantage or even First-Class Mail.
Only a few hours remain for some shoppers to act.
Priority Mail Express is scheduled for December 21 while Priority Mail service is due on December 19.
It’s also crucial to remember that, with the exception of Alaska and Hawaii, all of these USPS dates only apply to the contiguous US.
The dates have been significantly modified for Alaska and Hawaii.
- First-Class Mail service: December 18
- Priority Mail service: December 19
- Priority Mail Express service: December 20
The USPS website has more details about package delivery deadlines and international and military mail.
FEDEX
Additionally, FedEx has mail-by deadlines for its Home and Ground services that require shipments to arrive on or before Christmas Eve.
Customers can have shipments under 150 pounds delivered to their homes every day of the week by FedEx Home, but there is a $5.15 fee.
Send-By Deadlines Coming Up Fast
-
USPS
- Ground Advantage – December 18
- First Class Mail – December 18
- Priority Mail – December 19
- Priority Mail Express – December 21
-
FedEx
- FedEx Home Delivery 5-Day: December 17
- Fedex Home Delivery 4-Day: December 18
- FedEx Home Delivery 2-3 Day: December 20
- FedEx Home Delivery 1-Day: December 23
- FedEx Overnight: December 23
- FedEx Same Day: December 24
- FedEx Ground 5-Day: December 17
- FedEx Ground 4-Day: December 18
- FedEx Ground 3-Day: December 19
-
UPS
- 3-Day Select – December 19
- 2nd-Day Air – December 20
- Next Day Air – December 23
- Ground Advantage – December 18
- First Class Mail – December 18
- Priority Mail – December 19
- Priority Mail Express – December 21
- FedEx Home Delivery 5-Day: December 17
- Fedex Home Delivery 4-Day: December 18
- FedEx Home Delivery 2-3 Day: December 20
- FedEx Home Delivery 1-Day: December 23
- FedEx Overnight: December 23
- FedEx Same Day: December 24
- FedEx Ground 5-Day: December 17
- FedEx Ground 4-Day: December 18
- FedEx Ground 3-Day: December 19
- 3-Day Select – December 19
- 2nd-Day Air – December 20
- Next Day Air – December 23
Packages weighing 150 pounds or less are delivered by ground to business and commercial addresses Monday through Friday, except weekends.
Below are the due dates for each, some of which are already past.
- FedEx Home Delivery 5-Day: December 17
- Fedex Home Delivery 4-Day: December 18
- FedEx Home Delivery 2-3 Day: December 20
- FedEx Home Delivery 1-Day: December 23
- FedEx Overnight: December 23
- FedEx Same Day: December 24
- FedEx Ground 5-Day: December 17
- FedEx Ground 4-Day: December 18
- FedEx Ground 3-Day: December 19
On its website, FedEx provides further details on international packages to Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico.
UPS
UPS has rather more explicit deadlines for domestic deliveries before Christmas.
Ground needs to be determined using the UPS website because it can vary.
However, you still have until December 19 to choose 3-Day Select, December 20 to choose Second Day Air, and December 23 to choose Next Day Air.
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Customers were also drawn to UPS when it doubled down on a pricing increase earlier this summer.
Additionally, a consumer said that last month UPS held their shipment “hostage” and made them pay extra for home delivery.
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