(UNDATED) – It’s the last week of November and the holidays are staring you in the face. And although there is one less week to prepare for them than last year, there’s no need to panic because you can “Click-N-Chill™”, knowing the Postal Service has your back this holiday season. Even if you go a bit overboard on Cyber Monday, We Deliver for Yule™.
2019 Holiday Shipping Deadlines
The Postal Service recommends the following mailing and shipping deadlines for expected delivery by Dec. 25 to Air/Army Post Office/Fleet Post Office/Diplomatic Post Office and domestic addresses*:
- Dec. 9 – APO/FPO/DPO (ZIP Code™ 093 only) Priority Mail® and First-Class Mail®
- Dec. 11 – APO/FPO/DPO (all other ZIP Codes) Priority Mail and First-Class Mail
- Dec. 14 – USPS Retail Ground
- Dec. 18 – APO/FPO/DPO (except ZIP Code 093) USPS Priority Mail Express®
- Dec. 20 – First-Class Mail (including greeting cards)
- Dec. 20 – First-class packages (up to 15.99 ounces)
- Dec. 21 – Priority Mail
- Dec. 23 – Priority Mail Express*
Alaska
- Dec. 18 – Alaska to mainland First-Class Mail
- Dec. 19 – Alaska to mainland Priority Mail
- Dec. 21 – Alaska to mainland Priority Mail Express
Hawaii
- Dec. 19 – Hawaii to mainland Priority Mail and First-Class Mail
- Dec. 21 – Hawaii to mainland Priority Mail Express
*Not a guarantee, unless otherwise noted. Dates are for estimated delivery before Dec. 25. Actual delivery date may vary depending on origin, destination, Post Office acceptance date and time and other conditions. Some restrictions apply. For Priority Mail Express® shipments mailed Dec. 21 through Dec. 25, the money-back guarantee applies only if the shipment was not delivered, or delivery was not attempted, within two (2) business days.
To send packages to loved ones serving in the military or at diplomatic posts abroad, the Postal Service offers a discounted price of $18.45 on its largest Priority Mail Flat Rate Box®. The price includes a $1.50 per-box discount for mail sent to APO/FPO/DPO destinations worldwide.
Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, the Postal Service expects to deliver 800 million packages. To handle this year’s holiday shipping, the Postal Service is expanding Sunday deliveries in high package volume locations. More than 8 million packages are expected to be delivered each Sunday in December. Mail carriers will also deliver Priority Mail Express packages on Christmas Day for an additional fee in select locations.
Busiest Week
The Postal Service’s busiest time of the season is two weeks before Christmas. Customer mailing and shipping traffic at local Post Offices is expected to increase beginning Dec. 9, with the week of Dec.16 predicted to be the busiest mailing, shipping and delivery week. During the week of Dec. 16, the Postal Service expects to process and deliver nearly 2.5 billion pieces of First-Class Mail, including greeting cards.
Ship Gifts in Your Jammies
Don’t feel like going to the Post Office to drop off your special gift? You can stay comfy and visit usps.com. The Postal Service anticipates Dec. 16 will be the Postal Service’s busiest day online with more than 8.5 million consumers predicted to visit usps.com for help shipping that special holiday gift. And usps.com is always open.
It’s estimated nearly 400,000 consumers will use the Postal Service’s Click-N-Ship® feature and other online services on Dec. 16 to order free Priority Mail boxes, print shipping labels, purchase postage and even request free next-day Package Pickup.
Holiday Advertising Campaign
The Postal Service’s 2019 holiday campaign features direct mail, TV, radio, print, digital and social media promotions highlighting the organization’s proud tradition of delivering cheer and value to consumers and businesses.
The first of several TV spots began airing Nov. 4 and can be viewed on USPS-TV. A direct mail piece with information customers need to know for the holidays will be mailed to more than 100 million homes by Thanksgiving.
The Postal Service also offers shipping tips in 10 video “how to” guides. Each video is less than three minutes long and shows how to address packages, ship packages and pack a box so items arrive safely.
New this year
Mail and packages weighing more than 10 ounces and/or are more than a half-inch thick using stamps as postage cannot be dropped into a collection box or left for a carrier to pick up. Instead, take them to a window clerk at a Post Office. Click-N-Ship customers are unaffected by this change.
Additional news and information, including all domestic, international and military mailing, and shipping deadlines, can be found at the Postal Service Holiday Newsroom: usps.com/holidaynews.
