USPS Holiday Shipping Deadlines 2026
The last day to hand a package to USPS so it arrives before Thanksgiving, by Christmas Eve, or by New Year's Eve, for each mail class. Calculated from the delivery standards USPS publishes, counting Monday to Saturday and skipping the holidays USPS does not deliver on.
USPS publishes its official holiday deadlines in November. Until then these dates come from the longest delivery standard inside the lower 48 states, so they are the safe side. Your ZIP pair is often faster: check it in the tool below. We update this page the day USPS publishes its list.
Deadlines by Holiday and Service
Thanksgiving: arrive by Wednesday, November 25
USPS does not deliver on Thanksgiving (Thursday November 26), so the package has to land the day before.
| Service | Delivery days used | Last day to mail |
|---|---|---|
| Priority Mail Express | 2 (2-day planning figure; USPS sets the exact guaranteed date at purchase) | Mon, Nov 23 |
| Priority Mail | 3 (2 to 3 days depending on the ZIP pair) | Sat, Nov 21 |
| Ground Advantage | 5 (2 to 5 days depending on the ZIP pair) | Thu, Nov 19 |
| First-Class Mail (letters, cards) | 5 (2 to 5 days) | Thu, Nov 19 |
| Media Mail | 7 (4 to 7 days) | Tue, Nov 17 |
Christmas: arrive by Thursday, December 24
Christmas Day is a USPS holiday. The last delivery day is Thursday, December 24; December 25 is skipped.
| Service | Delivery days used | Last day to mail |
|---|---|---|
| Priority Mail Express | 2 (2-day planning figure; USPS sets the exact guaranteed date at purchase) | Tue, Dec 22 |
| Priority Mail | 3 (2 to 3 days depending on the ZIP pair) | Mon, Dec 21 |
| Ground Advantage | 5 (2 to 5 days depending on the ZIP pair) | Fri, Dec 18 |
| First-Class Mail (letters, cards) | 5 (2 to 5 days) | Fri, Dec 18 |
| Media Mail | 7 (4 to 7 days) | Wed, Dec 16 |
New Year's Eve: arrive by Thursday, December 31
For a package under the tree on New Year's Eve. New Year's Day is a USPS holiday.
| Service | Delivery days used | Last day to mail |
|---|---|---|
| Priority Mail Express | 2 (2-day planning figure; USPS sets the exact guaranteed date at purchase) | Tue, Dec 29 |
| Priority Mail | 3 (2 to 3 days depending on the ZIP pair) | Mon, Dec 28 |
| Ground Advantage | 5 (2 to 5 days depending on the ZIP pair) | Thu, Dec 24 |
| First-Class Mail (letters, cards) | 5 (2 to 5 days) | Thu, Dec 24 |
| Media Mail | 7 (4 to 7 days) | Tue, Dec 22 |
Lower 48 states. Drop off before your Post Office's last collection time on the day shown. Source: USPS service standards, July 2026.
Your Exact ZIP Pair
Most routes are faster than the safe dates above. Enter both ZIP codes and the date it must arrive (preset to Thu, Dec 24) to get the latest drop-off day for your route, including Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and military addresses.
The day the package must be in the recipient's hands.
How These Dates Are Calculated
Last day to mail = arrive-by date minus the delivery days USPS allows for the service. Delivery days are counted Monday to Saturday. Sundays, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year's Day are skipped, and the drop-off day itself must be a day USPS accepts mail.
- The delivery days per service are the longest standard USPS publishes for any pair of 3-digit ZIP areas inside the lower 48 states: Priority Mail 3, Ground Advantage 5, First-Class Mail 5, Media Mail 7.
- Priority Mail Express has no ZIP-level standard; USPS publishes 1 to 3 days nationwide. The table uses 2 days, which covers the large majority of addresses, and USPS confirms the exact guaranteed date when the label is bought.
- The same rule powers the ship-by date calculator for any date, and the delivery time calculator for the opposite question.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the last day to mail a Christmas package with USPS in 2026?
Inside the lower 48 states, plan on Fri, Dec 18 for Ground Advantage, Mon, Dec 21 for Priority Mail and Tue, Dec 22 for Priority Mail Express, for delivery by December 24. These come from the longest delivery standard USPS publishes for each service; your own ZIP pair is often faster, so check it with the tool on this page.
Are these the official USPS holiday deadlines?
USPS publishes its official holiday shipping deadlines each November. Until then, the dates here are calculated from the USPS Service Standards Directory, the same data USPS uses to set delivery expectations, taking the longest standard within the lower 48 states. When USPS publishes its list we update this page the same day.
What about Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and military addresses?
They take longer and USPS sets earlier deadlines for them. Enter the destination ZIP in the tool on this page: it uses the delivery standard for your exact pair, including Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and APO/FPO/DPO ZIP codes.
Does USPS deliver on Sundays and holidays in December?
Regular mail is not delivered on Sundays or on Christmas Day. Priority Mail Express is delivered 365 days a year, including Sundays and holidays, for an extra fee. The dates on this page count Monday to Saturday only, which is the safe way to plan.
Is delivery by the date guaranteed?
Only Priority Mail Express carries a USPS money-back guarantee. Every other service follows delivery standards, not guarantees, and December volumes are the highest of the year. For anything that matters, ship a day or two before the date shown.