USPS delivers holiday mailing dates, says its ready for holiday volume

The US Postal Service has announced its recommended mailing and shipping dates for holiday mail and packages.

The following are recommended send-by dates for expected delivery before Dec. 25.

2024 Holiday Mailing and Shipping Dates for Items Sent to Addresses in the Contiguous United States (Lower 48 States):

• USPS Ground Advantage service: Dec. 18
• First-Class Mail service: Dec. 18
• Priority Mail service: Dec. 19
• Priority Mail Express service: Dec. 21

2024 Holiday Mailing and Shipping Dates for Items Sent to Addresses in Alaska and Hawaiʻi:

• USPS Ground Advantage service: Dec. 16
• First-Class Mail service: Dec. 18
• Priority Mail service: Dec. 19
• Priority Mail Express service: Dec. 20

For customers sending packages internationally, or to military addresses, USPS suggests checking the complete list of recommended holiday mailing and shipping dates at usps.com/holidayshippingdates.

USPS urges customers to plan ahead and ship early during this holiday season.

For tips on preparing shipments, including packaging guidelines, ordering free shipping supplies and information on local Post Office location hours, visit usps.com.

Expanded services

USPS said efforts to stay ahead of the peak season holiday rush, involving a $40 billion federal investment, will help get packages in on-time.

It includes expanding processing to approximately 60 million packages per day, nearly tripling its 2020 daily package processing capacity, per USPS. A result of the 10-year Delivering for American plan, increased package processing capacity allows for packages to move through the postal network faster and USPS to lease temporary annexes to handle increases in holiday volume, said the Postal Service.

“Our operational, transportation and delivery processes have never been more finely tuned, and I am fully confident in our ability to once again handle the peak holiday season surge,” said Postmaster General and CEO Louis DeJoy. We are strongly positioned to deliver exceptional, affordable service to the American people during the holidays and beyond.”

The Postal Service has also extended retail and pick-up hours at popular Post Office locations, while continuing to offer the lowest postage rates in the nation.

For tips on preparing shipments, including recommended mailing and shipping dates, packaging guidelines, ordering free shipping supplies and information on local Post Office location hours, visit usps.com.