2017 Holiday Mailing Deadlines, Rates And How-To’s
If you want to mail a package via USPS Retail Ground delivery, you’d better do it today — Thursday, Dec. 14 — because that’s the send-by date for your shipment to get there by Christmas.
If you’re mailing outside the contiguous U.S., you’re looking at Express Service but still could get Priority Service to some parts of the world if you act today.
And if you have have a loved one in the military, your deadline is Saturday (Dec. 16) and you’re pretty much limited to Priority Express Military Service rates.
If you’re shopping online, Amazon is offering free shipping if your order includes at least $25 of eligible items. Any item with “FREE Shipping” messaging on the product detail page that is fulfilled and shipped by Amazon is eligible and contributes to your free shipping order minimum.
You can get unlimited FREE Two-Day Shipping on eligible items with Amazon Prime. No minimum spend is required to qualify.
Holiday Mailing Deadlines
Mailing Within Contiguous U.S.
Make sure your mail and packages arrive in time for the holidays by mailing before these recommended deadlines, excluding Alaska and Hawaii.
Send-by dates for expected delivery before Dec. 25th (Actual delivery date may vary and is based on origin, destination, Post Office acceptance time, and other conditions).
- Dec. 14 — USPS Retail Ground®
- Dec. 19 — First-Class Mail®
- Dec. 20 — Priority Mail®
- Dec. 22 — Priority Mail Express®
For Priority Mail Express® shipments mailed Dec. 23 through Dec. 25, the money-back guarantee applies only if the shipment was not delivered, or delivery was not attempted, within two business days.
Mailing Outside Contiguous U.S.
If you’re mailing to Alaska, Hawaii, an APO/FPO/DPO address, or internationally, click on the links below to see the recommended send-by dates for Dec. 25 delivery. International deadlines vary by country.
How to Prepare Shipments
Obviously, there are size and weight requirements for everything from post cards to packages. Click this link to find out the requirements and scroll down that same page to find tips for packing boxes and preparing shipments.
