Want holiday presents to arrive on time? We have shipping deadlines for UPS, Postal Service

Mary Ramsey
·2 min read

The holiday shopping season is in full swing, and for many, finding the perfect present is just step one of making a loved one’s day.

There’s also the matter of getting the gift to them on time.

If you’re planning to ship packages this December, mail carriers have specific deadlines to keep in mind if you want the package to arrive by Christmas or another day. And shipping earlier often means you’ll have more shipping options to choose from, saving you money.

Here’s what to know about the 2022 holiday shipping deadlines for major postal carriers when shipping domestically:

UPS holiday schedule

UPS has different “recommended last days to ship” if you want your domestic package delivered by Christmas Eve depending on which shipping method you choose.

If you choose Next Day Air, you have until Dec. 22. With Second Day Air, you need to ship by Dec. 21. And with Three Day Select, you need to drop off your package by Dec. 20.

The deadlines for ground shipping options depend on where you’re shipping from and where the package is going. To calculate when you need to ship via UPS Ground, visit ups.com/ctc.

FedEx holiday schedule

FedEx’s domestic shipping deadlines also vary based on which shipping method you choose. The company’s deadlines for arrival by Christmas this year are:

  • Dec. 8 for Ground Economy shipping

  • Dec. 14 for Home Delivery and Ground shipping

  • Dec. 20 for Three Day Freight and Express Saver shipping

  • Dec. 21 for Two Day Express, Two Day a.m. Express and Two Day Freight shipping

  • Dec. 22 for One Day Freight, First Overnight and Priority Overnight shipping

  • Dec. 23 for Same Day shipping

“With optional Saturday Delivery (a $16 per package surcharge), your last day to ship can be extended by an additional day to 12/23 for FedEx First Overnight and FedEx Priority Overnight and to 12/22 for FedEx 2Day,” the company adds.

USPS holiday shipping deadlines

The U.S. postal service has a few deadlines for getting your package delivered in the contiguous U.S. by Christmas:

  • Dec. 17 for Retail Ground and First Class Mail shipping

  • Dec. 19 for Priority Mail shipping

  • Dec. 23 for Priority Mail Express shipping

Dates are different when shipping to Alaska or Hawaii. For more details, visit usps.com/holiday/holiday-shipping-dates.htm.