The Postal Service is announcing deadlines so that your packages reach their destination in time for holiday celebrations.
2021 Holiday Shipping Deadlines
No matter the time of year, on-time package deliveries start with the customer — and knowing when to ship your packages is key.
The Postal Service recommends the following mailing and shipping deadlines for expected delivery by Dec. 25 to Air/Army Post Office/Fleet Post Office/Diplomatic Post Office (APO/FPO/DPO) and domestic addresses:
• Dec. 9 — APO/FPO/DPO (all ZIP Codes) Priority Mail and First-Class Mail
• Dec. 15 — USPS Retail Ground service
• Dec. 16 — APO/FPO/DPO (except ZIP Code 093) USPS Priority Mail Express Military service
• Dec. 17 — First-Class Mail service (including greeting cards)
• Dec. 17 — First-Class packages (up to 15.99 ounces)
• Dec. 18 — Priority Mail service
• Dec. 23 — Priority Mail Express* service
Alaska to/from Continental U.S.
• Dec. 18 — First-Class Mail
• Dec. 18 — Priority Mail
• Dec. 21 — Priority Mail Express
Hawaii to/from mainland
• Dec. 17 — Priority Mail and First-Class Mail
• Dec. 21 — Priority Mail Express
Actual delivery date may vary, depending on origin, destination, Post Office acceptance date and time, and other conditions.
To send packages to loved ones serving in the military or at diplomatic posts abroad, the Postal Service offers a discounted price of $21.15 on its largest Priority Mail Flat Rate Box. The price includes a $1.50-per-box discount for mail sent to APO/FPO/DPO destinations worldwide.
To handle this year’s holiday shipping, the Postal Service is expanding Sunday deliveries in high package volume locations. Mail carriers will also deliver Priority Mail Express packages on Christmas Day for an additional fee in select locations.
As a reminder, there are also temporary price increases in place through 12:01 a.m., Central Time, Dec. 26. The increase affects both retail and business customers for some of our more popular shipping products, which also includes military shipping. International products are unaffected. These temporary rates will keep the Postal Service competitive while providing the agency with the revenue to cover extra costs in anticipation of peak-season volume surges like levels experienced in 2020.
Here are the temporary price increases for Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express, Parcel Select Ground, USPS Retail Ground, and First-Class Package Service:
• Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express Flat Rate Boxes and Envelopes: 75 cents
• Zones 1-4, 0-10 pounds: 25 cents
• Zones 5-9, 0-10 pounds: 75 cents
• Zones 1-4, 11-20 pounds: $1.50
• Zones 5-9, 11-20 pounds: $3
• Zones 1-4, 21-70 pounds: $2.50
• Zones 5-9, 21-70 pounds: $5.00
• First-Class Package Service: 30 cents
A zone-pricing calculator can be found online. A complete list of business products and prices is also available online.
The temporary adjustment is part of Delivering for America, the Postal Service’s 10-year plan for achieving financial sustainability and service excellence, which calls for appropriate pricing initiatives. Even with the temporary increase, the Postal Service has some of the lowest mail postage rates in the industrialized world and continues to offer great values in shipping.
