2026 UPS Holiday Shipping Schedule: Key Year-End Dates and Tips

Stay a Step Ahead This Holiday Season with UPS

Here are the last days to ship to help ensure delivery by December 24:

• UPS^® Ground: Check details at ups.com/ctc based on location-specific timelines.
• UPS 3 Day Select^®: Ship by December 21
• UPS 2nd Day Air^®: Ship by December 22
• UPS Next Day Air^®: Ship by December 23

Shipments to certain destinations may require an earlier shipping date. Visit ups.com/ctc to confirm your dates.

Service and Guarantee Modifications

The following service changes will occur during parts of the year-end holiday season:

• The Service Guarantee is currently in effect for select Air and International Air services but is otherwise suspended. For further details, visit ups.com/serviceguarantee.
• From November 27 through January 2, delivery times for Air and International Air packages scheduled for delivery will be extended. UPS Next Day Air^® Early delivery times and UPS Worldwide Express Plus® shipments destined for the U.S. will be extended by 90 minutes. UPS Next Day Air^® and UPS Worldwide Express^® shipments destined for commercial locations will be extended to 3:00 p.m. UPS Next Day Air^® and UPS Worldwide Express^® shipments to residential locations and all other time definite Air and International Air services will be extended to end of day.
• From November 16 through January 8, a limited number of UPS^® Ground and UPS^® Standard packages with certain origins and destinations will require additional time in transit.

Tools and Tips for Shipping with Confidence

A little preparation goes a long way during the busy shipping season. Keep these best practices in mind:

• Be cautious of suspicious emails or texts and avoid clicking unfamiliar links.
• Sign up for the UPS My Choice^® or  UPS My Choice^® for Business dashboard to track packages and customize delivery options.
• Deliver securely by routing packages to The UPS Store^® locations for pickup.
• Keep your accounts secure by using strong, one-of-a-kind passwords.

For additional resources, visit UPS Fraud Protection.