USPS holiday shipping: USPS customers have only a few days left to send holiday cards and gifts before temporary price hikes kick in. The changes take effect on October 5 and will impact most express mail services, including Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, USPS Ground Advantage, and Parcel Select, as per a report.
The higher prices, which USPS says are meant to cover extra handling costs during the busy season, will stay in place until January 18, 2026, as per The Sun report.
To avoid delays, USPS is urging people to ship early and said that during the 2022 holiday season, the postal service delivered mail and packages in an average of 2.5 days. For 2025 the deadlines are:
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For Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, and other US territories, Ground Advantage packages must be mailed by December 16, as per The Sun report. First-Class Mail has a December 17 deadline, Priority Mail must be sent by December 18, and Priority Mail Express has a December 20 cut-off.
International shipping must be done earlier. Packages for Canada, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and the Caribbean must be sent by December 9, as per the report. The latest possible date is December 16 with Priority Mail Express International Service. For Central and South America, First-Class Package International Service and Priority Mail International Service must be shipped by December 2, while Priority Mail Express International has a December 16 cut-off.
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Military mail also has specific deadlines. Ground Advantage must be shipped by November 4, First-Class and Priority Mail by December 9, and Priority Mail Express by December 16.
The price hikes vary depending on weight and zone. For example, Priority Mail increases range from $0.40 to $7.00, while Priority Mail Express could rise by as much as $16.00. Flat-rate products will also see increases, such as $1.45 for large flat-rate boxes and $2.00 for flat-rate envelopes, as per The Sun report.
Customers looking for lower costs may want to use Ground Advantage, which starts at $6.80. However, waiting too long could mean having to pay for faster, more expensive services like Priority Mail Express, starting at $31.40, as per the report.
Alongside the deadlines, USPS announced new holiday stamps featuring seasonal designs, including pear, pomegranate and clementine against an evergreen tree branch, a wreath, two cardinals on a mistletoe branch and three scarlet amaryllis flowers tied with a red bow, as reported by The Sun.
Operation Santa has also returned for its 113th year, with children invited to send letters to Santa by December 6, so they can be eligible for adoption and fulfillment, as per the report.
When do USPS holiday price hikes start?
They begin on October 5, 2025.
What’s the cheapest USPS holiday option?
Ground Advantage, starting at $6.80.
