2025 Holiday Shipping Deadlines + Carrier SurchargesUpdated 2 hours ago
2025 Holiday Shipping Deadlines
FedEx, UPS, and USPS have shared their 2025 shipping cutoffs by service to help ensure packages arrive at customers by Christmas Day.
Please note that ground service delivery dates are not guaranteed by carriers. We recommend padding your order cutoffs by a day or two to account for delays in shipping speeds.
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Ground Advantage: Ship by Wednesday, December 17th
Priority Mail: Ship by Thursday, December 18th
Priority Mail Express: Ship by Saturday, December 20th
Since carriers don’t pick up on weekends, please submit all USPS Priority Express orders by noon Friday, December 19, to guarantee same-day fulfillment and shipping.
Ground + Home Delivery: Ship by Wednesday, December 17th
Express Saver: Ship by Friday, December 19th
2-Day: Ship by Saturday, December 20th
Since carriers don’t pick up on weekends, please submit all FedEx 2-Day orders by noon Friday, December 19, to guarantee same-day fulfillment and shipping.
Overnight: Ship by Tuesday, December 23rd
Due to carrier delays, we do not recommend offering FedEx Overnight services past noon on Monday, December 22nd.
UPS Ground: Ship by December 16th*
3-Day Select: Ship by Thursday, December 19th
2nd Day Air: Ship by Monday, December 22nd
Next Day Air: Ship by Tuesday, December 23rd
Due to carrier delays, we do not recommend offering UPS Next Day Air services past noon on Monday, December 22nd.
*As of Oct. 1, 2025, UPS hasn't published a firm holiday cutoff for UPS Ground. Instead, they direct customers to use their online shipping calculator for transit estimates. Because the calculator only lets you project so far in advance, the dates listed above are based on UPS’s official 2024 holiday deadlines.
All International Orders:
We recommend Friday, December 8th as the cutoff date for international gift orders
Nice tips to ensure timely deliveries by Christmas:
- Pad Dates: Carriers often face delays and don’t guarantee delivery on ground services during peak season. To stay safe, move your published order cutoff dates one or two days earlier than the official carrier deadlines. That buffer will help ensure packages arrive on time.
- Proactive Communication: Keep your customers informed by updating holiday cutoff dates across your site by the end of October. Place reminders on banners, product detail pages, FAQs, and at checkout. Add these dates to all of your marketing emails from November to December. Clear communication reduces surprises and encourages shoppers to order earlier.
- Nudge or incentivize customers to get ahead of the "mad scramble" and make purchases earlier in the season.
- Offer multiple shipping speed options at checkout.
2025 Carrier Holiday Surcharges
Each year during Q4, FedEx, UPS, and USPS apply demand surcharges to account for peak holiday shipping volumes. These surcharges are added on top of standard processing, shipping, and handling fees charged by the carrier. The exact amount depends on factors like shipping date, destination zone, and package weight.
Surcharges apply to both residential and commercial shipments and cannot be waived.
Below are the current demand surcharges for the 2025 holiday season by carrier:
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USPS holiday surcharges will apply to all packages from October 5, 2025, through January 18, 2026.
Increases vary by weight, cubic tiers, and zones grouped 1-4 and 5-9.
On average, expect packages shipped through USPS to increase 5%-6.5%.
USPS Ground Advantage:
$0.30-$0.35 increase for packages 0-3 lbs and cubic tiers 1-3
$0.45- $0.75 increase for packages 4-10 lbs and cubic tiers 4-9
$0.75-$1.25 increase for packages 11-25 lbs and cubic tiers 10
$2.25-$5.50 increase for packages 26-70 lbs and oversized
USPS Priority Mail
$0.30-$0.75 increase for packages 0-3 lbs and cubic tiers 1-3
$0.45-$1.25 increase for packages 4-10 lbs and cubic tiers 4-9
$0.75-$2.75 increase for packages 11-25 lbs and cubic tiers 10
$2.25-$6.60 increase for packages 26-70 lbs and oversized
USPS Priority Mail Express
$1.00-$1.75 increase for packages 0-3 lbs
$1.50-$3.95 increase for packages 4-10 lbs
$3.50-$7.50 increase for packages 11-25 lbs
$8.95-$13.00 increase for packages 26-70 lbs
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From October 27, 2025 to January 18, 2026, FedEx will apply temporary peak-season surcharges on Ground, Home Delivery, Priority, and Overnight services.
FedEx Ground + Home Delivery
+$0.40 per package (Oct. 27–Nov. 23, Dec. 29–Jan. 18)
+$0.65 per package (Nov. 24–Dec. 28)
This is the surcharge that will impact most brands
FedEx Priority + Overnight Services
+$1.05 per package (Oct. 27–Nov. 23, Dec. 29–Jan. 18)
+$2.10 per package (Nov. 24–Dec. 28)
Additional surcharges will be applied to oversize and heavy packages. Nice Commerce will work to mitigate this as much as possible during order fulfillment.
FedEx Additional Handling (International Ground)
+$8.25 per package (Sept. 29–Nov. 23, Dec. 29–Jan. 18)
+$10.90 per package (Nov. 24–Dec. 28)
FedEx Oversize Packages (U.S. + International Ground)
+$90 per package (Sept. 29–Nov. 23, Dec. 29–Jan. 18)
+$108.50 per package (Nov. 24–Dec. 28)
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From October 26, 2025 to January 17, 2026, UPS is applying the following demand surcharges on Ground and Air services.
UPS Ground Residential & 3-Day Select
+$0.40 (Oct. 26–Nov. 22 & Dec. 28–Jan. 17)
+$0.60 (Nov. 23–Dec. 27)
UPS Air (Next Day + All Other UPS Air):
+$1.10 (Oct. 26–Nov. 22 & Dec. 28–Jan. 17)
+$2.05 (Nov. 23–Dec. 27)
Additional surcharges will be applied to oversize, international, and heavy packages. Nice Commerce will work to mitigate this as much as possible during order fulfillment.
UPS Additional Handling Surcharge (International Ground)
+$8.25 per package (Sept. 28–Nov. 22, Dec. 28–Jan. 17)
+$10.80 per package (Nov. 23–Dec. 27)
UPS Large Package Surcharge Packages (U.S. + International Ground)
+$90.50 per package (Sept. 28–Nov. 22, Dec. 28–Jan. 17)
+$107 per package (Nov. 23–Dec. 27)