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
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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:

  1. November 30 is the last day to send parcel post packages via surface transportation
  2. November 30 is the last day to send letters, flats, and small packages via surface transportation
  3. December 7 is the last day to send priority packages via air transportation
  4. December 7 is the last day to send letters, flats, and small packages via air transportation
  5. 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.