When you've got gifts to ship, on-time deliveries are essential. After all, you want those gifts ready to unwrap whenever your family and loved ones do their holiday thing. Whether you're shipping with USPS, USP, FedEx, or DHL, knowing the right holiday shipping deadlines of 2024 can help you ensure gifts arrive on time and make that holiday magic happen.
If your packages need to arrive before December 24th, these holiday shipping deadlines are exactly what you need. PostalAnnex can help with clear shipping schedules and helpful teams ready to get your gifts on their holiday journeys.
USPS Holiday Shipping Deadlines
If you want your packages to travel through the United States Postal Service and arrive by December 24, we've got the dates you need based on which mailing service you want to use.
- USPS Retail Ground: December 14
- First-Class Mail: December 18
- Priority Mail: December 19
- Priority Mail Express: December 23
As you can see, giving yourself a 10-day margin is the safest for ground shipments (and potential delays). USPS also offers a variety of online and in-person tools and resources to help with shipping. Your local PostalAnnex can guide you through each one.
UPS Holiday Shipping Deadlines
UPS is one of the fastest holiday shipping carriers in the business. They support late and last-minute deliveries that will ensure your holiday packages arrive on or before December 24th. The key dates you should know include:
- UPS 3 Day Select: December 19
- UPS 2nd Day Air: December 20
- UPS Next Day Air: December 23
If you are shipping via UPS Ground, they estimate shipping times based on the distance your package will travel. Use UPS's website shipping interface to determine the best date to ship to reach the destination before December 24th. The UPS Express Critical service is also available every day.
FedEx Holiday Shipping Deadlines
FedEx is considered one of the most reliable and convenient shipping services for holiday deliveries. They can provide on-time deliveries for packages shipped from mid-December to the very last minute (December 22nd). The key FedEx holiday shipping deadlines you should know for the December 24th arrival include:
- FedEx Ground: December 15
- FedEx Express Saver: December 19
- FedEx 2Day: December 21
- FedEx Overnight Services: December 22
FedEx also offers Same-Day delivery every day, except on excluded holidays which we'll discuss further on.
DHL Holiday Shipping Deadlines
DHL is the shipping carrier of choice for international packages, but they also provide domestic deliveries. DHL can provide rapid service and near-last-minute delivery from late December shipping to December 24th arrival. Key DHL holiday shipping deadlines include:
- DHL Express Worldwide: December 20
- DHL Express 12:00: December 21
- DHL Express 9:00: December 22
If you need international holiday shipping, explore DHL's international shipping solutions and tools.
No Pickup or Delivery Holidays
USPS, UPS, Fed-Ex, and DHL all share three holidays in which they do not perform pickups or deliveries. These include:
- Thanksgiving: November 28
- Christmas: December 25
- New Year's: January 1
Keep these dates in mind, especially Christmas. That means no last-minute deliveries on Christmas Day.
Holiday Shipping Tips
Want to make sure your holiday is flawless with on-time deliveries of gifts and party supplies? Apply these holiday shipping tips and best practices.
- Get started early: Shipping earlier is better than your packages arriving late.
- Anticipate delays: Shipping delays are common.
- Pack carefully: Make sure each package is well-packed to prevent damage in transit.
- Package tracking: Use the latest tracking features of your chosen carrier to follow your shipments from departure to arrival.
- Expedite services: Expedited shipping is faster and more reliable. They are useful for urgent and last-minute deliveries.
- Package tracking: Use the latest tracking features of your chosen carrier to follow your shipments from departure to arrival.
- Stay informed: Keep track of carrier updates including policies, schedules, and potential delays.
Build Your Holiday Shipping Calendar
Make sure all your gifts and holiday supplies arrive on time this year by building a comprehensive schedule with the help of the PostalAnnex. Our expert team can ensure each package ships in time to reach the destination and fulfill your holiday schedule. Contact PostalAnnex for your shipping needs and explore our shipping resources on the website.