(NEXSTAR) – Peak holiday shopping and shipping season begins. If you want to ensure that the presents arrive under the tree in time, you need to plan ahead.
Shipping deadlines vary depending on the service you choose and the amount you pay to receive your package on time. Deadlines also vary depending on the holiday being celebrated. This year, Hanukkah begins on the same day as Christmas (Wednesday, Dec. 25), and Kwanzaa begins the next day (Thursday, Dec. 26).
USPS
For deliveries in the 48 contiguous states before December 25th, the U.S. Postal Service recommends the following delivery deadlines:
| Types and products of domestic mail | Dates (excluding Alaska and Hawaii) | Alaska and Hawaii dating |
|---|---|---|
| USPS Ground Advantage®service | December 18th | December 16th |
| First class mail®service | December 18th | December 18th |
| priority mail®service | December 19th | December 19th |
| priority mail express®servicee | December 21st | December 20th |
International shipping deadlines are even faster. USPS categorizes by country and region here.
UPS
If you want to ship your package using UPS Ground, you can use: UPS online calculator To understand the deadline shipping date. It depends on the origin and location of the shipment.
For other UPS services, domestic shipping deadlines through December 24 are:
| delivery service | Shipping date |
|---|---|
| UPS 3 days selection | December 19th |
| UPS Day 2 Aviation | December 20th |
| UPS Next Day Air | December 23rd |
fedex
The same applies to FedEx delivery deadlines. If you're willing to pay for FedEx SameDay delivery, you can wait until December 24th, but more economical services will take longer.
| delivery service | Shipping date |
|---|---|
| fedex overnight | December 23rd |
| FedEx 2Day | December 20th |
| fedex express saver | December 19th |
| fedex ground | December 17th – December 23rd |
| fedex courier | December 17th – December 23rd |
| fedex grand economy | December 13th |
Details and international deadlines can be found from FedEx. here.
Amazon
Amazon does not post an official holiday shipping calendar, but you can see when an individual item will be shipped by adding it to your cart. Prime members may be eligible for 1-day, 2-day, or same-day shipping, depending on the product.
