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FedEx, UPS and USPS holiday shipping deadlines are out

Major shipping delays for toys
Toys are sitting on factory floors in Asia due to COVID-19 supply chain issues 01:45

The U.S. Postal Service, FedEx and UPS have released recommended ship-by dates for gifts to be delivered in time for the December 25 holiday, which lands on a Saturday this year. With supply chain snags slowing deliveries to both retail stores and home doorsteps — and the USPS itself slowing mail delivery as part of a broad cost-cutting plan — retailers were already recommending consumers shop (and ship) early.

Here are the dates, according to the shippers' websites.

USPS

Continental U.S.:

  • December 15: USPS retail ground service
  • December 17: First-class mail service (including holiday greeting cards)
  • December 17: First-class packages (up to 15.99 ounces) 
  • December 18: Priority mail service
  • December 23: Priority mail express service

USPS For Air/Army/Fleet/Diplomatic post office addresses:

  • November 6: Retail ground service
  • December 9  :Priority mail and first-class mail
  • December 16: Priority mail express military service

USPS Alaska and Hawaii: 

  • December 17: Hawaii to/from mainland — priority mail and first-class mail
  • December 18: Alaska to/from Continental U.S. — first-class and priority mail 
  • December 21: Alaska to/from Continental U.S. and Hawaii to/from mainland — priority mail express

FedEx 

  • December 9: ground economy
  • December 15: ground and home delivery
  • December 21: express saver
  • December 22: two day and two-day am
  • December 23: overnight services
  • December 24: same day

UPS:

  • Ground shipping, check the website for a quote
  • December 22: second-day air services 
  • December 23: next-day air services
  • December 25: no pickup service, UPS holiday 
  • Note: UPS service guarantee still suspended for most services due to COVID-19
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