With the holiday season rapidly approaching, it’s time to start communicating the 2022 holiday shipping deadlines to your customers. This way, they’ll know how long they have to place their orders, so all of their gifts will make it to their destinations in time. As a quick reminder, holiday shipping deadlines are the latest date you can ship a package with your carrier of choice and have that package arrive for the holidays. These holiday shipping deadlines are in place to account for the higher shipping volume seen throughout the season. The earlier you let your customers know, the better the customer experience…and the better the chance of getting some great customer reviews and engagement during the holiday season. 

Carrier Deadlines for the 2022 Holiday Season:

UPS Holiday Shipping Deadlines

• UPS 3 Day Select^®: Monday, December 19, 2022 
• UPS 2nd Day Air^® services: Wednesday, December 21, 2022
• UPS® Ground shipping: Check ups.com/ctc for details
• UPS Next Day Air^® services: Thursday, December 22, 2022

USPS Holiday Shipping Deadlines

• USPS Retail Ground™: Saturday, December 17, 2022 
• First Class Mail^Ⓡ: Saturday, December 17, 2022 
• Priority Mail^Ⓡ: Monday, December 19, 2022
• Priority Mail Express^Ⓡ*: Friday, December 23, 2022 

*Priority Mail Express postage refund eligibility is adjusted for shipments mailed December 22-25

FedEx Holiday Shipping Deadlines

• FedEx Ground^Ⓡ Economy: Thursday, December 8, 2022 
• FedEx Ground^Ⓡ:  Wednesday, December 14, 2022 
• Home Delivery^Ⓡ: Wednesday, December 14, 2022 
• Express Saver^Ⓡ: Tuesday, December 20, 2022
• 2Day^Ⓡ Services: Wednesday, December 21, 2022 
• FedEx Same Day: Friday, December 23, 2022

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Continuing with the annual rate increases that began in 2020, USPS has announced its proposed Peak Season Temporary Rate Adjustments. The adjustments serve to cover extra holiday handling costs. In accordance with years prior, the following services will be impacted: Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express, First-Class Package Service, Parcel Select Ground, and USPS Retail Ground rates. Pending favorable review by the Postal Regulatory Committee, the USPS Peak Season Temporary Rates would go into effect at 12 a.m. Central on Oct. 2 and remain in place until 12 a.m. Central on Jan. 22, 2023.

Note: There are no planned rate adjustments on International Services, parcel return rates, or Parcel Select Lightweight rates.

2022 Holiday Shipping Rate Increases 

Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express – 2022 Holiday Shipping Rate Increase (Commercial Base)

• Commercial:
  • $0.75 increase for PM and PME Flat Rate Boxes and Envelopes
  • $0.25 increase for Zones 1-4, 0-10 lbs
  • $0.80 increase for Zones 5-9, 0-10 lbs
  • $0.75 increase for Zones 1-4, 11-25 lbs
  • $2.80 increase for Zones 5-9, 11-25 lbs
  • $3.00 increase for Zones 1-4, 26-70 lbs
  • $6.50 increase for Zones 5-9, 26-70 lbs

The most notable changes for the Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express rates from 2021 to 2022 are in Zones 5-9, with 26-70 pound shipments seeing a $1.50 increase over last year’s rate increase. 

First-Class Package Service, Parcel Select Ground, USPS Retail Ground – 2022 Holiday Shipping Rate Increase (Commercial Base) 

• Commercial:
  • $0.25 increase for Zones 1-4, 0-10 lbs
  • $0.40 increase for Zones 5-9, 0-10 lbs
  • $0.75 increase for Zones 1-4, 11-25 lbs
  • $1.60 increase for Zones 5-9, 11-25 lbs
  • $3.00 increase for Zones 1-4, 26-70 lbs
  • $5.50 increase for Zones 5-9, 26-70 lbs

Similarly to the previous set of rates, the most notable changes for First-Class Package Service, Parcel Select Ground, and USPS Retail Ground rates are found within Zones 1-9 for 26-70 pound shipments with a $.50 increase over last year’s rates. 

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