With all the big holidays lined up - Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Christmas, you must be busy packing and shipping multiple packages a day.
Do you know? More than 60% of customers buy their gifts a week before Christmas.
To help you deliver customer packages before 25th December, we’ve listed out the last holiday shipping dates for primary USPS services. Mark your calendar with these dates and boost customer loyalty with on-time package delivery.
USPS holiday shipping dates
| Domestic Mail Class/Product Cut Off Date | Deadline |
|---|---|
| USPS Retail Ground | Dec 15 |
| USPS First Class Mail | Dec 18 |
| USPS Priority Mail | Dec 19 |
| DNDC Drop Ship - Marketing Mail | Dec 19 |
| DSCF Drop Ship - Marketing Mail | Dec 21 |
| DDU Drop Ship - Marketing Mail Dec-22 | Dec 22 |
| Priority Mail Express* | Dec 23 |
*Priority Mail Express postage refund eligibility is adjusted for shipments mailed Dec 22-25.
USPS holiday shipping dates for International Mail
| International mail addressed to | Priority Mail Express International | Priority Mail International | First-Class Package International Service |
|---|---|---|---|
| Africa | Dec 7 | Nov 30 | Nov 30 |
| Asia/Pacific Rim | Dec 14 | Dec 7 | Dec 7 |
| Australia/New Zealand | Dec 14 | Dec 7 | Dec 7 |
| Canada | Dec 14 | Dec 7 | Dec 7 |
| Caribbean | Dec 14 | Dec 7 | Dec 7 |
| Central & South America | Dec 7 | Nov 30 | Nov 30 |
| Mexico | Dec 14 | Dec 7 | Dec 7 |
| Europe | Dec 14 | Dec 7 | Dec 7 |
| Middle East | Dec 14 | Dec 7 | Dec 7 |
USPS holiday shipping dates for Military Mail
| Military Mail Addressed to/from | Priority Mail Express Military Service (PMEMS) | First-Class Mail Letters and Cards | Priority Mail | Parcel Airlift Mail (PAL) | Space Available Mail (SAM) | USPS Retail Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPS 090-092 | Dec 18 | Dec 11 | Dec 11 | Dec 4 | Nov 27 | Nov 6 |
| APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIP 093 | NA | Dec 9 | Dec 9 | Dec 4 | Nov 27 | Nov 6 |
| APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPS 094-098 | Dec 18 | Dec 11 | Dec 11 | Dec 4 | Nov 27 | Nov 6 |
| APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIP 340 | Dec 18 | Dec 11 | Dec 11 | Dec 4 | Nov 27 | Nov 6 |
| APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPS 962-966 | Dec 18 | Dec 11 | Dec 11 | Dec 4 | Nov 27 | Nov 6 |
- Priority Mail Express Military Service (PMEMS): is available to selected military/diplomatic post offices. Check with your local Post Office to determine if this service is available to an APO/FPO/DPO address.
- Parcel Airlift Mail (PAL): is a service that provides air transportation for parcels on a space-available basis. It is available for USPS Retail Ground items not exceeding 30 pounds in weight or 60 inches in length and girth combined. The applicable PAL fee must be paid in addition to the regular surface price for each addressed piece sent by PAL service.
- Space Available Mail (SAM): parcels are paid at USPS Retail Ground prices with maximum weight and size limits of 15 pounds and 60 inches in length and girth combined. SAM parcels are first transported domestically by surface and then to overseas destinations by air on a space-available basis.
USPS holiday season import dates*
| Surface | Surface | Air | Air | EMS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LC/AO | CP | LC/AO | CP | |
| Nov 30 | Nov 30 | Dec 7 | Dec 7 | Dec19 |
** Provides mailing guidelines for foreign postal partners to meet December 25 delivery.
Please note:
- November 30 is the last day to send parcel post packages via surface transportation
- November 30 is the last day to send letters, flats, and small packages via surface transportation
- December 7 is the last day to send priority packages via air transportation
- December 7 is the last day to send letters, flats, and small packages via air transportation
- December 19 is the last day to send Express Mail Service items (any shape)
Mail class by code:
LC = Letters, aerogrammes (USPS no longer offers outbound aerogrammes), cards, and letter packages
AO = Newspapers, magazines, matter for the blind, printed matter, small package
CP = Packages - parcel post (surface), priority (air)
Should you have any questions, feel free to contact us at support@postmen.com.