Today marks the final opportunity to dispatch your presents before the holiday deadline approaches.
Winter weather, stock shortages, ground transportation risks, and various other complications may potentially lead to delivery delays approaching Christmas Eve.
About 50% of Americans express concern over package delivery delays during this season, according to a survey conducted by Badcredit.org in October.
"Given a shorter holiday season with only 17 delivery days between Thanksgiving and Christmas, we recommend sending packages early and often to ensure a stress-free holiday experience," Karen Tomaszewski Hill, UPS's US media relations manager, mentioned to CNN.
Businesses have been preparing for a busier-than-normal holiday season. According to the National Retail Federation, holiday spending could increase by up to 3.5% compared to the previous year and reach an all-time high of $989 billion this month.
Amazon announced in October that it would employ 250,000 transportation and warehouse workers to manage the projected volume of packages.
For shoppers hoping to navigate the holiday shopping rush, these are the crucial shipping dates to remember for the 2024 season:
UPS
The following are the suggested last dates for December 24 delivery:
- Ground: for specific details, visit ups.com/ctc
- 3 Day Select: December 19
- 2nd Day Air: December 20
- Next Day Air: December 23
UPS does not provide pickup or delivery services on Christmas Day.
USPS
Here are the suggested send-by dates for October 25 delivery in the 48 contiguous United States:
- Ground: December 18
- First-Class Mail: December 18
- Priority Mail: December 19
- Priority Mail Express: December 21
For Alaska and Hawaii:
- Ground: December 16
- First-Class Mail: December 18
- Priority Mail: December 19
- Priority Mail Express: December 20
USPS specifies that the delivery date may vary depending on factors such as origin, destination, and post office acceptance time.
FedEx
The following are the delivery deadlines for October 25 delivery:
- Home Delivery: December 23 (for the one-day shipping option)
- Ground: December 23 (for the one-day shipping option)
- Express Saver: December 19
- 2Day and 2Day AM: December 20 (could be extended to December 21 with an optional Saturday pickup and a $16-per-package surcharge)
- First Overnight, Priority Overnight, Standard Overnight, Extra Hours: December 23
- SameDay: December 24
Businesses have been actively preparing for the increased holiday package delivery demand, with organizations like UPS and Amazon hiring additional staff to manage the volume. To ensure timely delivery during the holiday season, businesses and shoppers should adhere to the suggested or specified deadlines provided by delivery services such as UPS, USPS, and FedEx.
