USPS, FedEx Publish 2026 Holiday Shipping Deadlines
USPS and FedEx have published recommended 2026 shipping deadlines for packages to arrive in time for Christmas, while UPS has not yet released its year-end ship-by dates.
USPS
USPS announced its recommended holiday mailing and shipping dates September 22, with the following deadlines for expected delivery before December 25.
Contiguous United States (Lower 48 States):
- USPS Ground Advantage: Dec. 17
- First-Class Mail: Dec. 17
- Priority Mail: Dec. 18
- Priority Mail Express: Dec. 19
Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and U.S. Territories:
- USPS Ground Advantage: Dec. 16
- First-Class Mail: Dec. 17
- Priority Mail: Dec. 18
- Priority Mail Express: Dec. 19
USPS says a complete list of recommended dates for international and military addresses will be available beginning in mid-October.
FedEx
FedEx has also published its 2026 holiday deadlines, providing the last recommended shipping dates for packages scheduled to arrive by December 24.
U.S. Domestic Package Services:
- FedEx Ground Economy: Dec. 15
- FedEx Ground and Home Delivery, 5-day transit: Dec. 17
- FedEx Ground and Home Delivery, 4-day transit: Dec. 18
- FedEx Ground and Home Delivery, 3-day transit: Dec. 21
- FedEx Express Saver: Dec. 21
- FedEx Ground and Home Delivery, 2-day transit: Dec. 22
- FedEx 2Day and FedEx 2Day AM: Dec. 22
- FedEx Ground and Home Delivery, 1-day transit: Dec. 23
- FedEx First Overnight, Priority Overnight, Standard Overnight and Extra Hours: Dec. 23
- FedEx SameDay: Dec. 24
Ground and Home Delivery transit times vary by origin and destination ZIP code, so FedEx recommends checking specific transit times before shipping.
FedEx has also published deadlines for international and air freight services, including shipments to Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico.
UPS
UPS has not yet published its recommended 2026 last days to ship for Christmas delivery, but its 2026 holiday schedule shows delivery will be available for all services on Christmas Eve.
Pickup on December 24 will be limited to Air and international Air shipments prearranged by December 18, with no UPS Ground pickup. UPS will be closed for regular pickup and delivery on Christmas Day.
UPS's website is still linking to its 2025 Year-End Holiday Schedule alongside a separate 2026 Days of Operation Schedule. We'll update with UPS's recommended 2026 shipping deadlines once they are released.
Of course, weather delays and delays due to increased holiday volume are always a possibility, so it's best not to wait until the last minute.
