After years of pandemic-related supply chain issues, holiday packages should be moving smoothly this year.
“You’ll have a better experience than in previous years,” says Vaughn Moore, executive chairman and CEO of AIT Worldwide Logistics.
Gone are the backlogs at U.S. ports and worker shortages that resulted in late deliveries. While there can always be hiccups, consumers can feel confident that the shipping times quoted are more accurate now.
Still, you’ll want to place retail orders and mail packages before carrier deadlines to ensure delivery by the holidays. Avoid heartbreak on Christmas morning by knowing your shipping options and when items need to get in the mail.
Shipping Deadlines for Major Carriers
Consumers who need to mail holiday packages can choose from several shipping companies. In most cases, both standard and expedited delivery services are available.
There should be enough air capacity to manage holiday packages in need of delivery, according to Todd Pigeon, vice president of sales at PayCargo, a logistics payment platform.
He notes that shipping companies operate dedicated fleets of airplanes and may contract with commercial carriers to transport packages as well.
United States Postal Service
Despite competition from shipping companies, USPS remains a popular choice for package deliveries.
“The Postal Service’s historic transformation — made possible by our Delivering for America plan — has allowed us to realize more package processing capacity than ever before,” said Postmaster General and USPS CEO Louis DeJoy in a press release.
The Delivering for America plan is a 10-year plan intended to foster financial stability for the organization and predictable service for customers.
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To ensure packages arrive before Dec. 25, the USPS recommends mailing by the following dates when shipping within the lower 48 states:
— USPS Ground Advantage service: Dec. 18
— First-Class Mail service: Dec. 18
— Priority Mail service: Dec. 19
— Priority Mail Express service: Dec. 21
Meanwhile, packages being shipped to Hawaii or Alaska should be sent out by these dates:
— USPS Ground Advantage service: Dec. 16
— First-Class Mail service: Dec. 18
— Priority Mail service: Dec. 19
— Priority Mail Express service: Dec. 20
You may need to send international mail as early as Dec. 2 to reach some locations on time when using First-Class International service. However, packages can be sent as late as Dec. 16 for many countries if sent with Priority Mail Express International Service.
USPS Ground Advantage Service can be as cheap as $5.40, but Priority Mail Express has a starting rate of $31.55.
FedEx
Delivery company FedEx offers more than a dozen shipping options, ranging from ground delivery that can take up to seven days for arrival within the United States to same-day service that is available across all 50 states.
The following are holiday shipping deadlines for some of FedEx’s service options:
— FedEx Ground Economy: Dec. 13
— FedEx Ground:
— Dec. 17 for five-day shipping
— Dec. 18 for four-day shipping
— Dec. 19 for three-day shipping
— Dec. 20 for two-day shipping
— Dec. 23 for one-day shipping
— FedEx Express Saver: Dec. 19
— FedEx 2Day: Dec. 20
— FedEx Overnight: Dec. 23
— FedEx SameDay: Dec. 24
Deliveries to Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico should be shipped between Dec. 17 and Dec. 23, depending on the destination and service used.
With FedEx One Rate, shipments of less than 50 pounds can be sent anywhere in the U.S. for a flat rate.
Starting prices begin at $9.75 for a large envelope and go to $32.50 for an extra-large box. You must use a FedEx provided box or envelope, and items will be sent via the 2Day service.
United Parcel Service
UPS, known for its signature boxy brown trucks, is another popular shipping carrier. The company won’t be making any regular deliveries on Christmas Day, so you’ll want to adhere to the following deadlines to ensure packages arrive to U.S. domestic destinations by Dec. 24.
— UPS Ground: Varies by location
— UPS 3 Day Select: Dec. 19
— UPS 2nd Day Air: Dec. 20
— UPS Next Day Air: Dec. 23
Deliveries to Canada and Mexico can be shipped as late as Dec. 23 and Dec. 20, respectively, and arrive by Dec. 24 using UPS Worldwide Express.
Flat-rate shipping with UPS starts at $10.85 for an extra-small package or $27.60 for an extra large box. Known as UPS Simple Rate, your actual cost will depend on whether you select five-day, three-day, second-day or next-day delivery.
DHL Express
Although able to ship packages domestically, DHL Express specializes in door-to-door international deliveries made to and from the U.S.
The company’s quick express service can deliver to 220 countries and territories, with packages arriving within 24 to 72 hours, depending on the destination. You may be able to ship as late as Dec. 24 for Christmas delivery.
Shipping Deadlines for Major Retailers
Some customers aren’t as worried about sending packages as they are about receiving them in time for the holidays. For items that are in stock, retailers aren’t expected to have trouble sticking to their promised delivery time frames this year.
Walmart
Walmart shoppers have access to free shipping for online orders of at least $35. Purchases of less than that amount incur a shipping charge of $6.99. Depending on the item and your location, shipments may be made via UPS or FedEx, and many items can be delivered in two days.
There is also an Express Delivery option to have items delivered from a local store in as little as an hour. This service may not be available in all areas and costs $10 plus a $9.95 delivery fee. Some shipping and delivery fees may be waived for Walmart+ members.
Many items sold on Walmart’s website come from third-party sellers, and whether those goods are shipped by Walmart or the third party could impact delivery times.
Target
Customers buying holiday gifts from Target.com this year should plan on a standard shipping time of three to five days. Some items are also eligible for two-day shipping, and if you preorder a product, there is an express delivery option for delivery within one business day.
Shipping is free for customers paying with a Target RedCard or making a qualifying purchase of at least $35.
The Home Depot
Most purchases of at least $45 are eligible for free two-day delivery. Same-day and next-day delivery options are also available. A limited number of items can also be shipped to Alaska and Hawaii.
For the fastest service from The Home Depot, shoppers can order through Instacart. Those purchases may be delivered in as little as an hour, depending on shopper availability.
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Amazon
With its own fleet of aircraft and delivery trucks, online retailer Amazon appears to be uniquely positioned to ensure packages arrive on time during the holiday season. The company offers the following delivery options in the contiguous United States:
— Standard delivery in four to five business days
— Two-day shipping
— One-day shipping
One-day shipping may be limited to certain areas, and both one- and two-day shipping reflect business days, not calendar days.
For deliveries to Alaska and Hawaii, expect purchases to take three to seven days for standard shipping, two to five days for expedited shipping and one to four days for priority shipping.
Many items sold on Amazon come from third parties which may have different shipping timelines, some as long as 14 days. Plus, items from third parties may be advertised as two-day delivery but might not ship immediately.
Be sure to carefully review the delivery timelines on the checkout page before finalizing your purchase.
Macy’s
Macy’s offers free shipping for online orders to all customers in the contiguous U.S. for purchases of $25 or more. Macy’s Star Rewards Platinum and Gold members get free shipping year-round with no minimum when they use their Macy’s Card.
Standard shipping takes three to six days, while express delivery can have items to your doorstep on the following day. The cost for express shipping is $15 for orders of at least $25 and $25.95 on purchases less than that.
Etsy and eBay
Etsy and eBay are popular marketplaces for individuals and businesses to sell unique or handcrafted goods. Since each seller has their own procedure for packaging and mailing orders, there is no standard shipment time, although Etsy does define prompt shipping as an item being mailed within 30 days of its purchase.
Anyone buying holiday gifts from these sites should review the processing and shipping time listed by the seller to ensure a package will arrive promptly. Be aware that some items from overseas sellers could have long delivery times even if they are shipped immediately.
Of course, deliveries from any retailer could be delayed by adverse weather, natural disasters or other events. So before you get too comfortable with the idea of last-minute shopping and shipping this year, consider that earlier is usually better.
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Holiday Shipping Deadlines: Ensure Your Gifts Arrive on Time originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 11/22/24: This story was published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
