2026 Holiday Shipping Deadlines: Last Day to Ship with USPS, UPS, FedEx & DHL 📦🎄

The last day to ship for Christmas 2026 in the lower 48 is December 17 for USPS Ground Advantage and First-Class Mail, December 18 for Priority Mail, and December 19 for Priority Mail Express. FedEx and UPS express services run December 21 to 23. Ground shipping depends on distance, so send those packages earlier.

Here are the main carrier dates for gifts that need to arrive by December 24 or 25, plus a few changes worth knowing about this year.

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Last Ship Dates at a Glance

Delivery by December 24, lower 48 states. Find your carrier and service, and ship on or before the date shown.

UPS Ground and FedEx Ground and Home Delivery depend on your ZIP codes, so use each carrier's tool for the exact date.

USPS Holiday Shipping Dates

These are the dates USPS recommends for delivery before December 25. Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and U.S. territories get a longer window for Ground Advantage, since those packages can take 10 days or more.

• USPS Ground Advantage: Thursday, December 17
• First-Class Mail: Thursday, December 17
• Priority Mail: Friday, December 18
• Priority Mail Express: Saturday, December 19

Hanukkah starts earlier this year, on December 4 and ends December 12, so USPS suggests sending those gifts sooner. Dates come from the USPS 2026 holiday shipping page.

UPS Holiday Shipping Dates

For delivery by December 24, UPS lists these last ship dates for its air services:

• UPS 3 Day Select: December 21
• UPS 2nd Day Air: December 22
• UPS Next Day Air: December 23
• UPS Ground: it depends on the ZIP codes. Use the UPS Calculate Time and Cost tool for your route.

Other UPS changes to know about:

• UPS is closed on Thanksgiving (November 26) and Christmas Day (December 25).
• On Christmas Eve, Ground pickup is not offered, and air pickup is only available if arranged by December 18. Deliveries still run.
• A limited number of UPS 2nd Day Air packages shipped on December 14, 15, 16 or 21, and UPS 3 Day Select packages shipped on December 14 or 15, may need an extra day in transit.
• From November 16 to January 8, a limited number of UPS Ground and UPS Standard packages will need extra transit time.

See the UPS holiday schedule for details.

FedEx Holiday Shipping Dates

FedEx publishes last ship dates for packages that need to arrive by Thursday, December 24:

• FedEx Ground Economy: December 15
• FedEx Express Saver: December 21
• FedEx 2Day: December 22
• FedEx Overnight services: December 23
• FedEx SameDay: December 24
• FedEx Ground and Home Delivery: depends on transit time. A package with a 5-day transit needs to ship by December 17, and a 1-day transit by December 23.

FedEx is closed on Thanksgiving (November 26) and Christmas Day (December 25), with modified service on Christmas Eve. Check the official FedEx 2026 shipping deadlines for the full chart.

DHL Holiday Shipping

DHL does not publish one U.S. last-ship date for the holidays. Cutoffs depend on the service and where the package is going, so confirm with DHL before you promise a delivery date. Christmas Day and New Year's Day are postal holidays, so expect slowdowns around both. For international gifts, send them early, and see the DHL postal holidays page for local closures.

International and Military Mail

International and military deadlines come much earlier. USPS recommends these send-by dates for delivery before December 25:

• First-Class Package International and Priority Mail International: December 9 to every destination region
• Priority Mail Express International: December 16
• Military (APO/FPO/DPO) Ground Advantage: November 4
• Military First-Class and Priority Mail: December 9
• Priority Mail Express Military Service: December 16, where available

Customs and local holidays can add days, so give international gifts extra room.

What This Means for Wildtree Orders

We typically ship orders within 24 hours, and no later than 3 business days, so our timing lines up closely with the carrier dates above. For a gift to arrive by December 24, order a few days before the date for your shipping method, and pick a faster option at checkout if you are close.

Free U.S. shipping starts at $30. If the date has already passed, the Wildtree Digital Gift Card arrives by email with no shipping at all. Still looking for ideas? Try our guides to gifts for national park lovers and gifts under $25.

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Quick Answers

What is the last day to ship for Christmas 2026?
For the lower 48, USPS recommends December 17 for Ground Advantage and First-Class Mail, December 18 for Priority Mail and December 19 for Priority Mail Express. FedEx and UPS express services run December 21 to 23 for delivery by December 24.

Are UPS and FedEx closed on Christmas?
Yes. Both are closed on Christmas Day, December 25, and on Thanksgiving, November 26. Service is modified on Christmas Eve.

When should I ship international gifts?
USPS recommends December 9 for First-Class Package International and Priority Mail International, and December 16 for Priority Mail Express International.

Are these dates guaranteed?
No. They are recommended dates, and weather, volume and the destination can change delivery times. Confirm with the carrier before you ship.

Carrier dates were accurate at the time of writing and may change. Always confirm with the carrier.