Overview
- USPS recommends Dec. 17 for Ground Advantage and First‑Class, Dec. 18 for Priority Mail, and Dec. 20 for Priority Mail Express to reach U.S. addresses by Dec. 25.
- UPS lists Dec. 19 for 3‑Day Select, Dec. 22 for 2nd Day Air, and Dec. 23 for Next Day Air, while FedEx keeps overnight options through Dec. 23 with earlier ground cutoffs.
- In the UK, Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed and DPD Gold offer a last guaranteed next‑day posting date of Dec. 23, with earlier deadlines for standard services.
- USPS says this week is the year’s busiest and notes expanded capacity — over 600 new package sorters since 2020, daily processing up to 88 million, 14,000 seasonal hires, and more vehicles and facilities — after accepting more than five billion items since late November.
- International and military send‑by dates are earlier and vary by destination, with carriers warning that weather and customs can disrupt delivery and that late shippers may face prices that can double or triple.