Holiday shipping deadlines you don’t want to miss: UPS, FedEx, USPS, and Amazon

As the holiday season quickly approaches, major shipping and delivery companies have revealed their deadlines for Christmas (December 25), Hanukkah (December 7), and Kwanzaa (December 26). To help you plan accordingly, we’ve compiled a list of those dates to help small businesses stay ahead. 

Since Christmas falls on a Monday this year, FedEx will not offer overnight delivery on Christmas Eve. If you want your box to arrive before Christmas, you must send FedEx SameDay on Friday, December 22 instead. 

Domestic service and holiday shipping deadlines:

• Ground– December 15
• Express saver- December 19
• 2Day and 2Day AM– December 20
• First Overnight/ Priority Overnight– December 21
• SameDay– December 22

Similar to FedEx, UPS shipment dates are often one day ahead of schedule. To ensure that your final goods arrive by December 25, you must send them by December 21. 

Domestic service and holiday shipping deadlines:

• Domestic service Ship date Ground– Check the UPS website for deadlines
• 3-Day Select– Dec. 19
• 2nd Day Air– Dec. 20
• Next Day Air– Dec. 21

The U.S. Postal Service’s Christmas package shipping deadlines are also a day or two earlier than last year. To ensure packages arrive before December 25, the post office suggests marking these dates on your calendar:

Domestic service and holiday shipping deadlines:

• Retail Ground– December 16
• Frist-class mail- Dec. 16
• Priority mail– December 18
• Priority mail express– December 20

Ordering directly from Amazon and sending the item to your recipient might allow you to expedite the purchasing and mailing procedure.

Domestic service and holiday shipping deadlines:

• Free shipping– December 14
• 2-day shipping (Prime)– December 22 
• 1-day shipping (Prime)– December 23
• Same-day delivery (Prime)– December 24
• e-gift card delivery– December 25

If you want your Kwanzaa packages to arrive before the holiday, follow the Christmas shipping deadlines. In 2023, Hanukkah begins on December 7 and lasts through December 15. Removing roughly ten days from those Christmas deadlines will ensure your packages arrive on time. 

Remember, nothing is guaranteed and delays can occur, but keeping these deadlines in mind will keep your small business on track this season.