Metro East Sun

The 2023 holiday shopping season is approaching quickly, and it's important to be aware of the deadlines for sending packages to ensure they arrive at their destinations in time for the festive celebrations. The United States Postal Service (USPS) has provided a list of deadline dates for domestic, international, and military shipping destinations, ensuring timely delivery of cards, letters, and packages by December 25.

According to USPS, there will be no peak or demand surcharge this holiday season. For shipments within the lower 48 states, the following are the regular holiday shipping and mailing deadlines:

- USPS Ground Advantage: December 16

- First-Class Mail (including greeting cards): December 16

- Priority Mail: December 18

- Priority Mail Express: December 20

For Alaska and Hawaii, the deadlines are the same as the lower 48 states, except for Priority Mail in Hawaii, which is December 16.

If you are shipping to Air/Army Post Office (APO), Fleet Post Office (FPO), or Diplomatic Post Office (DPO), the deadlines are as follows:

- USPS Ground Advantage: November 6

- First-Class Mail: December 9

- Priority Mail: December 9

- Priority Mail Express Military Service: December 15 (except for APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 093)

For international mail deadlines, it is recommended to check the USPS website for specific information.

For FedEx, the last day for ground economy delivery is December 13, and the last day for ground delivery is December 15. Here are the key shipping deadline dates for FedEx:

- Ground Economy: December 13

- Home Delivery, Ground: December 15

- Express Saver, 3 Day Freight: December 19

- 2 Day: December 20

- 1 Day Freight, Extra Hours: December 21

- Same Day: December 22

UPS suggests visiting their website to get an estimate based on their operating hours, holiday schedule, and operational adjustments.

It is crucial to be prepared if you want to send packages to your loved ones in time for the holidays. The cutoff dates may vary depending on the carrier and method of delivery, but generally, it is recommended to allow for 5 to 7 business days. It's worth noting that packages are delivered on holidays, so if you send a letter or package at least a week before the holiday, the recipient should receive it on or before Christmas.

As the holiday season approaches, it is essential to keep these shipping deadlines in mind to ensure your packages arrive safely and on time.

For additional details, please follow this link: https://repschmidt.com/2023/11/09/deadlines-to-mail-those-holiday-season-packages/