2023 Holiday Shipping Deadlines for USPS, UPS, and FedEx

Published on March 27, 2024
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Filed under Holiday
Read time 7 Minutes

It’s time again to prepare for the peak season holiday shipping rush! While the holiday season starts earlier every year, gifts always need to be delivered by the 25th. ShipStation recently conducted a survey to gauge consumer and merchant demands for the 2023 holiday season and we found that shoppers are searching for deals from September to December. So come Saturday, December 23rd, you may still have workers shipping out orders and customers ready to buy for Christmas morning. From shipping deadlines to workflow improvements, ShipStation has you covered!

Here are your deadlines for USPS, UPS, and FedEx:

UPS® Holiday Shipping Deadlines in the US

  • UPS 3 Day Select®: Tuesday, December 19, 2023
  • UPS 2nd Day Air® services: Wednesday, December 20, 2023 or Thursday, December 21, 2023 with Saturday Delivery options
  • UPS® Ground: Check ups.com/ctc for details
  • UPS® Ground Saver: Check ups.com/ctc for details
  • UPS Next Day Air® services: Thursday, December 21, 2023, or Friday, December 22, 2023 with Saturday Delivery options

As a commitment to ShipStation customers, UPS will not apply the recently announced Demand Surcharges†. Take advantage of discounts of up to 77% off on UPS® Ground shipments, up to 732% for UPS Next Day Air®, up to 73% for UPS 2nd Day Air® service, and up to 82% off on international services, with rates that include Fuel Surcharge and Residential Surcharge for all services and Delivery Area Surcharge for domestic services.*

*Discounts off UPS® Daily Rates. Rates are limited to shipping from the U.S. only. Rates and any applicable discounts are subject to change at any time without notice. Terms and conditions apply.

†Demand Surcharges are not applied to accounts opened on ShipStation. 

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USPS® Holiday Shipping Deadlines in the US for 2023

In addition to these dates, USPS announced that it will not impose surcharges this holiday season. Now, you and your customers can enjoy the convenience of USPS services without additional shipping costs this holiday season.

  • USPS Ground Advantage™: Saturday, December 16, 2023
  • First-Class® Mail: Saturday, December 16, 2023
  • Priority Mail®: Monday, December 18, 2023 (Alaska), Saturday, December 16, 2023 (Hawaii)
  • Priority Mail Express®*: Wednesday, December 20, 2023

USPS® Holiday Shipping Deadlines for Alaska and Hawaii

  • USPS Ground Advantage™: Saturday, December 16, 2023
  • First-Class® Mail: Saturday, December 16, 2023
  • Priority Mail®: Monday, December 18, 2023 (Alaska), Saturday, December 16, 2023 (Hawaii)
  • Priority Mail Express®: Wednesday, December 20, 2023

FedEx Holiday Shipping Deadlines in the US

  • FedEx Ground Economy: Wednesday, December 13, 2023
  • FedEx Ground:  Visit FedEx’s website for more information about shipping deadlines for FedEx Ground® 
  • FedEx Home Delivery: Visit FedEx’s website for more information about shipping deadlines for FedEx Ground® 
  • FedEx Express Saver: Tuesday, December 19, 2023
  • 2Day & 2Day AM: Wednesday, December 20, 2023
  • FedEx SameDay: Friday, December 22, 2023

Saturday Delivery Matters for Last Minute Shoppers

With December 25th falling on a Monday this year, Saturday delivery may be utilized for some express, day-definite services. So 2-day and next-day services will require you to pay extra for the specified Saturday delivery option for the carriers. 

How ShipStation Makes Holiday Shipping More Efficient

Find the Best Holiday Shipping Services

ShipStation provides discounted shipping rates for multiple carriers, including USPS, UPS, DHL, and GlobalPost. This allows you to save up to 89% on shipping costs and compare different rates and delivery times to choose the best option for each shipment. With ShipStation, you can find the right shipping service for any of your parcels—whether it’s the holidays or not. With ShipStation Carrier Services, you can save up to 89% on shipping labels on the services you need for holiday shoppers! Whether it’s 78% off of UPS® Ground rates or 73% off UPS 2nd Day Air®*, ShipStation makes holiday shipping more affordable. 

*Discounts off UPS daily rates. Rates are limited to shipping from the U.S. only. Rates and any applicable discounts are subject to change at any time without notice.

Streamline Your Holiday Shipping with ShipStation

Once you start using ShipStation, how to import your orders from the selling channels, how simple it is to start using ShipStation Carrier Services for all your shipping needs, and how quickly you can batch print all your labels, you’ve knocked hours off of the day’s shipping. Learn everything you need to know about ShipStation to get your shipping prepared for the holiday rush! 

Batch Shipping: ShipStation allows you to process and print up to 500 shipping labels at once, saving time and reducing manual effort.

Customized Automated Shipping Rules: You can set up shipping rules based on specific criteria, such as destination, weight, or order value. ShipStation then automatically applies the rules such as shipping methods and options for each order.

Shipping Rate Calculator: ShipStation provides real-time shipping rate calculations, allowing you to pay the best shipping rate for your shipments.

Returns Management: ShipStation provides tools to streamline the returns process, making it easier for customers to initiate returns and for businesses to manage return shipments.

Mobile App: ShipStation offers a mobile app, allowing you to manage shipments and track orders on the go.

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Written by

James Messer

James Messer is a copywriter specializing in shipping, logistics, and ecommerce.

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