Important 2024 Holiday Shipping Deadlines From USPS, FedEx and UPS

When it comes to shopping for gifts for Christmas and shipping them off to your parents, kids, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends with hopes of them arriving in Houston, San Antonio, Phoenix, St. Louis, Cleveland, or wherever, you have five fewer days to get it all done than in previous years.

With Thanksgiving falling later in November than usual, the shopping and shipping crunch will be amplified as you try to get everything done to meet those shipping deadlines. While there's no need to panic right now, for those who procrastinate, panic will set in.

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If you have any procrastination traits, you'll want to bookmark this article or put these deadlines on your phone right now! Don't wait, do it now!

Shipping Deadlines for the United States Postal Service (USPS)

• USPS Ground Advantage: Mail by December 18
• First-Class Mail: Mail by December 18
• Priority Mail: Mail by December 19
• Priority Mail Express: Mail by December 21
  These deadlines apply to items being sent to addresses in the contiguous United States (lower 48 states).

For packages being sent to Alaska or Hawaii the recommended send-by dates are:
USPS Ground Advantage: Mail by December 16
First-Class Mail: Mail by December 18
Priority Mail: Mail by December 19
Priority Mail Express: Mail by December 20

Shipping Deadlines for FedEx

• FedEx Ground Economy - The last day to ship is December 13. Delivery can take up to seven business days.
• FedEx Ground and Home Delivery - The last day to ship is December 17. Gifts should arrive in one to five business days. With options of 4-day to 1-day shipping with higher rates with rolling deadlines of December 18 to December 23rd.
• FedEx Express Saver - The last day to ship is December 19. Packages should arrive in three business days.
• FedEx 2Day and FedEx 2Day A.M. - The last day to ship is December 20. Gifts should arrive in two business days.
• FedEx First, Priority, or Standard Overnight - The last day to ship is December 23. Items will be delivered the next business day.
• FedEx SameDay - The last day to ship is December 24. Packages need to be scheduled in advance.

Shipping Deadlines For UPS

• UPS Ground: Check the UPS 'calculate time and cost' website - The reported last day to ship is December 15 for delivery on December 22 (ABC News)
• UPS 3-Day Select: The last day to ship is December 19 for delivery on December 22
• UPS 2nd Day Air: The last day to ship is December 20 for delivery on December 22
• UPS Next Day Air: The last day to ship is December 21 for delivery on December 22

My advice to you is - with a little preparation your Christmas gifts will make it to their destinations on time and bring some smiles to your relatives and friends' faces and if you do it early enough, you'll save some money too!