How to avoid "where's my package?" this holiday season...
Carrier cutoff dates for 2025 holiday shipping!
It happens! The holiday season picks up, the train is chugging down the tracks at full steam ahead, and then you realize that you actually have no idea what the final cut off for holiday shipping is.
I’ve got you: here’s a breakdown of how to navigate 2025 domestic holiday shipping, no matter which carrier you prefer!
Carrier cutoff dates for 2025 holiday shipping
USPS (U.S. Postal Service)
Ground Advantage & First-Class Mail: December 17, 2025
Priority Mail: December 18, 2025
Priority Mail Express: December 20, 2025
Note: For Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and U.S. territories the Ground-Advantage cutoff may be a day earlier.
UPS
3 Day Select: December 19, 2025
2nd Day Air: December 22, 2025
Next Day Air (overnight): December 23, 2025
Ground / Ground-Saver: varies by origin/destination & transit time — use UPS “Time & Cost” tool to check
FedEx
FedEx Ground Economy: December 15, 2025 (last day for cheapest ground-economy)
FedEx Express Saver: December 20, 2025
FedEx 2Day & 2Day AM: December 22, 2025
FedEx Overnight (First Overnight / Priority Overnight / Standard Overnight / Extra Hours): December 23, 2025
FedEx SameDay: December 24, 2025 (last-minute same-day shipping)
FedEx Ground / Home Delivery transit-based ground: depends heavily on origin & destination — check the FedEx transit calculator.
I (and my expert team at Endless Commerce!) recommend…:
Treat USPS Dec 17–20 as the cutoff window for mail-based shipping.
For time-sensitive orders (especially slower ground), use UPS or FedEx Express/Overnight up to Dec 22–23.
Ask customers with remote/distant ZIPs (or Alaska/Hawaii) to place orders at least a week earlier.
Build in slack — holidays + volume cause delays. If you guarantee “pre-Xmas delivery,” aim to ship a few days before these cutoffs.
There’s still a few days left to get things landed just in the nick of time! Got any peak season questions or ops snafus that you need a little help with? Hit us in the comments or drop me a line here— I can help!
Lastly, I would so love for you to share this letter— or any of my helpful guides to running a business and getting sh*t done— with a friend who you think could find it helpful. Appreciate you!