All the USPS, UPS and FedEx shipping cut-off dates you need to know to be successful this holiday shopping season

With Black Friday and Cyber Monday now behind us, the holiday shopping season is in full swing. If anyone else made the mistake of going to Target or Walmart the weekend after Thanksgiving, then you know exactly what we mean.

Having a solid shipping strategy is always important, but it’s never more crucial than during the busy holiday season. If you aren’t delivering orders on time, you can say goodbye to happy shoppers, repeat customers and good reviews.

Here are the 2019 holiday shipping cut-off dates to help you stay ahead of the game.

USPS:

  • USPS Retail Ground – Saturday, December 14th
  • First-Class Mail – Friday, December 20th
  • Priority Mail Service – Saturday, December 21st
  • Priority Mail Express Service – Monday, December 23rd

For shipments going to Alaska or Hawaii, First-Class Mail Service cutoff dates are December 18th (AK) and December19th (HI). Priority Mail shipments need to go out by the 19th, while Priority Mail Express has until the 21st.

For more details, see all the USPS holiday shipping dates here.

UPS:

  • Ground – Friday, December 13th
  • 3 Day Select – Thursday, December 19th
  • Second Day Air – Friday, December 20th
  • Next Day Air – Monday, December 23rd

You can download the full UPS 2019 Year-End Holiday Schedule here. 

FedEx:

  • SmartPost – Monday, December 9th
  • Ground and Home Delivery – Monday, December 16th
  • Express Saver – Thursday, December 19th
  • 2 Day – Friday, December 20th
  • Standard Overnight, Priority Overnight, and First Overnight – Monday, December 23rd
  • Same Day – Wednesday, December 25th

View all domestic and international FedEx dates for holiday shipments here

2019 Holiday Shipping Cutoff Dates FAQ

1. Will USPS, UPS or FedEx deliver packages on Christmas Eve 2019?

  • USPS will have normal delivery service on Christmas Eve.
  • UPS will have normal delivery service on Christmas Eve.
  • FedEx will have normal delivery service on Christmas Eve.

2. Will USPS, UPS or FedEx deliver packages on Christmas Day 2019?

  • USPS will have no delivery service on Christmas Day and all post offices will be closed.
  • UPS will have no pickup or delivery service on Christmas Day.
  • FedEx Same-Day service only will be available on Christmas Day, all other services will be closed.

3. What are the 2019 holiday shipping cutoff dates for international shipments?

International holiday shipment dates vary by destination and carrier.

4. What are the 2019 holiday cutoff dates to ship to someone in the military? 

Check the USPS holiday shipping schedule for cutoff dates to different APO addresses.

Need help managing your shipping strategy?

ShipperHQ has a suite of shipping tools to help you control the shipping rates and delivery options your buyers see at checkout. 

One of our most popular features? Showing delivery dates at checkout, so your customers can rest assured their packages will make it in time.

With ShipperHQ Date and Time rules, you are able to account for lead time, cutoff dates, blackout dates and more to offer the most accurate delivery date possible.

Explore everything ShipperHQ can do with a no-risk 30-day free trial.

Or gain more tips and insights from our 2019 Holiday Shipping Strategy Survival Guide.