Holiday shipping deadlines 2026
For delivery before Christmas 2026 within the lower 48, USPS recommends shipping Ground Advantage and First-Class Mail by Thursday, December 17, Priority Mail by Friday, December 18, and Priority Mail Express by Saturday, December 19. FedEx’s last days to arrive by December 24 run from December 15 for Ground Economy to December 24 for SameDay. UPS hasn’t published its 2026 dates yet.
Shipping to
50days
left to ship USPS Ground Advantage to the lower 48 states for delivery before December 25.
Last day to ship: Thursday, December 17. USPS calls it a recommended send-by date, not a guarantee.
December 2026
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USPS holiday send-by dates
USPS’s recommended dates for delivery before December 25, 2026. They’re the same for every international region USPS lists.
| Service | Send by |
|---|---|
| USPS Ground Advantage | Thu, Dec 17 |
| First-Class Mail | Thu, Dec 17 |
| Priority Mail | Fri, Dec 18 |
| Priority Mail Express | Sat, Dec 19 |
| Service | Send by |
|---|---|
| USPS Ground Advantage | No date; 10+ days |
| First-Class Mail | Thu, Dec 17 |
| Priority Mail | Fri, Dec 18 |
| Priority Mail Express | Sat, Dec 19 |
| Service | Send by |
|---|---|
| First-Class Package International Service | Wed, Dec 9 |
| Priority Mail International | Wed, Dec 9 |
| Priority Mail Express International | Wed, Dec 16 |
| Service | Send by |
|---|---|
| USPS Ground Advantage | Wed, Nov 4 |
| First-Class Mail | Wed, Dec 9 |
| Priority Mail | Wed, Dec 9 |
| Priority Mail Express Military ServiceNot available to AE ZIP 093 | Wed, Dec 16 |
USPS says actual delivery can vary with the origin, destination and the time the Post Office accepts the item. Ground Advantage to and from offshore ZIP codes can take longer, so check the estimated delivery date before you ship.
FedEx and UPS holiday deadlines
FedEx’s last days to ship for arrival by December 24, 2026. FedEx Ground and Home Delivery dates depend on how many transit days the route takes.
| Service | Last day to ship |
|---|---|
| FedEx Ground Economy | Tue, Dec 15 |
| FedEx Ground and Home Delivery, 5-day transit | Thu, Dec 17 |
| FedEx Ground and Home Delivery, 4-day transit | Fri, Dec 18 |
| FedEx Ground and Home Delivery, 3-day transit | Mon, Dec 21 |
| FedEx Ground and Home Delivery, 2-day transit | Tue, Dec 22 |
| FedEx Ground and Home Delivery, 1-day transit | Wed, Dec 23 |
| FedEx Express Saver | Mon, Dec 21 |
| FedEx 2Day and 2Day AM | Tue, Dec 22 |
| FedEx First, Priority and Standard Overnight | Wed, Dec 23 |
| FedEx SameDay | Thu, Dec 24 |
| FedEx 3Day Freight | Mon, Dec 21 |
| FedEx 2Day Freight | Tue, Dec 22 |
| FedEx 1Day Freight | Wed, Dec 23 |
| Service | Canada | Mexico | Puerto Rico |
|---|---|---|---|
| International Next Flight | Dec 23 | Dec 22 | Dec 23 |
| International First | Dec 23 | Dec 22 | Dec 23 |
| International Priority | Dec 23 | Dec 22 | Dec 23 |
| International Priority Distribution | Dec 22 | Not listed | Not listed |
| International Economy | Dec 21 | Dec 21 | Dec 22 |
| International Connect Plus | Dec 21 | Dec 21 | Not listed |
FedEx Ground to Canada: Dec 15 for 7-day transit, Dec 16 for 6-day transit, Dec 17 for 5-day transit, Dec 18 for 4-day transit, Dec 19 for 3-day transit, Dec 22 for 2-day transit and Dec 23 for 1-day transit. FedEx’s international dates don’t include time for customs clearance.
UPS hasn’t published its 2026 dates
As of October 28, 2026, UPS hadn’t posted its last days to ship for the 2026 holidays. Its 2026 holiday operations schedule already says there’s no UPS pickup or delivery on Friday, December 25, and that Dec 24 pickups for Air packages must be prearranged by Friday, December 18. Check the UPS holiday shipping schedule for the dates.
Turn carrier dates into your store’s order cutoff
- Find the last day to ship for the slowest service you offer at checkout, usually ground.
- Count back the days your warehouse needs to pick, pack and hand an order to the carrier.
- Publish that order-by date on your site and in order confirmations, with later dates for faster services.
- After the ground date passes, keep selling with expedited services and show their dates at checkout.
FedEx Ground transit days vary with the origin and destination, so customers far from your warehouse need the earlier date. See how far your orders travel with the shipping zone calculator, check what each box bills at with the dimensional weight calculator, and when customers ask where a parcel is, the tracking number lookup sends them to the right carrier.
Common questions
What is the last day to ship USPS for Christmas 2026?
Within the lower 48, USPS recommends sending USPS Ground Advantage and First-Class Mail by Thursday, December 17, Priority Mail by Friday, December 18, and Priority Mail Express by Saturday, December 19, for expected delivery before December 25. The First-Class Mail, Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express dates are the same for Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and U.S. territories.
What is the last day to ship FedEx for Christmas 2026?
To arrive by December 24, 2026, FedEx lists December 15 for Ground Economy, December 17 to 23 for FedEx Ground and Home Delivery depending on transit days, December 21 for Express Saver, December 22 for 2Day and 2Day AM, December 23 for First, Priority and Standard Overnight, and December 24 for SameDay.
When are the UPS holiday shipping deadlines for 2026?
UPS had not published its 2026 last days to ship as of October 28, 2026. Its 2026 holiday operations schedule says there is no UPS pickup or delivery on December 25, and that December 24 pickups for Air packages must be prearranged by December 18. Check UPS’s holiday shipping schedule for the dates once they are out.
What are the 2026 holiday deadlines for international and military mail?
USPS recommends sending First-Class Package International Service and Priority Mail International by Wednesday, December 9, and Priority Mail Express International by Wednesday, December 16, to every listed region. For APO/FPO/DPO addresses the dates are November 4 for USPS Ground Advantage, December 9 for First-Class Mail and Priority Mail, and December 16 for Priority Mail Express Military Service, which isn’t available to AE ZIP 093.
Do these dates guarantee delivery by Christmas?
No. USPS calls its dates recommended send-by dates and says actual delivery can vary with the origin, destination and acceptance time. FedEx says its dates are subject to change and that its Ground and Home Delivery dates assume a regular scheduled pickup or a drop-off at a staffed FedEx location.
How should an online store set its holiday order cutoff?
Start from the carrier’s last day to ship for the slowest service you offer, then count back the days your warehouse needs to pick, pack and hand orders to the carrier. Publish that order-by date on your site, and give expedited services their own later dates.
Sources
- USPS, 2026 Holiday Shipping Deadlines
- FedEx, 2026 Shipping deadlines for holiday packages (PDF)
- UPS, Holiday shipping schedule
- UPS, 2026 holiday operations schedule (PDF)
Checked 2026-10-28. Rules change; confirm with the carrier or agency before you rely on a number.
More shipping and inventory tools
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