2026 holiday shipping deadlines for USPS, UPS and FedEx
Ground, two-day, and overnight cutoffs from USPS, UPS, and FedEx, plus the closures and tips that help holiday gifts arrive by Christmas.
The United States Postal Service (USPS) plans to permanently introduce a fuel surcharge starting in 2027, due to the rising costs of gas and diesel. This move follows similar increases by FedEx and UPS, according to Supply Chain Dive. Gas prices in the U.S. have risen from $2.98 to $4.22 per gallon, while diesel crossed the $6 price point.
Previously, USPS had a temporary 8% surcharge that expired on January 17, 2027. However, the new permanent surcharge will be variable, changing week-to-week based on fuel prices. The fee will be calculated as a percentage of the base postage amount, and it will apply to Ground Advantage, Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express, and Parcel Select packages shipped domestically.
USPS expects to improve delivery times during the 2026 holiday season, as they did last year, with an expected average delivery time of 2.5 days in 2025, compared to 2.8 days in 2024.
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