To be on the safe side, I always aim to get my Christmas orders out by December 18th. But, just like last year, I’ve compiled all the important shipping cut-off dates from all the country’s favorite carriers, so you don’t have to run around fretting like a headless chicken!
The tables and lists below should quiet your mind and give you enough confidence to know your carefully crafted products will reach your customers on time.
So, without further ado, let’s get into the 2021 shipping deadlines!
Christmas Shipping Deadlines 2021
Don’t be afraid to skip ahead if you know which mail carrier you want to use. I’m giving you the dates for USPS, UPS, and FedEx!
USPS
I feel like the USPS really resonates with us Etsy shop owners. Over the busy season, some offices stay open longer than usual to compensate for the masses of extra Christmas mail — I know you know how amazing that is for all small businesses!
Domestic Holiday Shipping (not inc. Hawaii and Alaska)
- First-Class Package: you need to ship by Friday, December 17th
- Priority Mail: you need to ship by Saturday, December 18th
- Priority Mail Express: you need to ship by Thursday, December 23rd
- USPS Retail Ground: you need to ship by Wednesday, December 15th
Holiday Shipping for Alaska and Hawaii
- First-Class Mail and Priority Mail: you need to ship by Friday, December 17th for Hawaii and Saturday, December 18th for Alaska
- Priority Mail Express: you need to ship by Tuesday, December 21st for Alaska and Hawaii
- USPS Retail Ground: you need to ship by Thursday, December 2nd for Alaska; the service isn’t available for Hawaii
UPS
UPS has a super generous shipping schedule — their normal delivery service runs until Christmas Day itself! Not to mention that the Express Critical service still operates on the day.
Domestic Holiday Shipping
- UPS 3 Day Select: you need to ship by Tuesday, December 21st
- UPS 2nd Day Air: you need to ship by Wednesday, December 22nd
- UPS Next Day Air: you need to ship by Thursday, December 23rd
Holiday Shipping to Canada
- UPS Worldwide Expedited: you need to ship by Tuesday, December 21st
- UPS Worldwide Express: you need to ship by Thursday, December 23rd
Holiday Shipping to Mexico
- UPS Worldwide Expedited: you need to ship by Tuesday, December 21st
- UPS Worldwide Express: you need to ship by Wednesday, December 22nd
If you plan to ship to other parts of the world, I strongly suggest using UPS’ time and cost calculator! It’s a (pretty much) sure-fire way to ensure our customers get their items before the big day.
FedEx
Following last year’s incredible performance, FedEx is keeping its Christmas Eve delivery schedule. Just ensure you get your orders out within their same-day hours, and you’re good to go!
Domestic Holiday Shipping
- FedEx Express:
- Same day: you need to ship by Friday, December 24th
- 2Day ; 2Day AM: you need to ship by Wednesday, December 22nd
- Saver: you need to ship by Tuesday, December 21st
- 1Day Freight: you need to ship by Thursday, December 23rd
- 2Day Freight: you need to ship by Wednesday, December 22nd
- 3Day Freight: you need to ship by Tuesday, December 21st
- FedEx Ground:
- Contiguous US: you need to ship by Wednesday, December 15th
- Alaska and Hawaii: you need to ship by Wednesday, December 15th
- Home Delivery Contiguous US: you need to ship by Wednesday, December 15th
- Home Delivery Alaska and Hawaii: you need to ship by Wednesday, December 15th
- Economy: you need to ship by Thursday, December 9th
- FedExFreight:
- Priority: you need to ship by Wednesday, December 15th
- Economy: you need to ship by Thursday, December 9th
- Direct: you need to ship by Wednesday, December 15th
International Holiday Shipping
- To Canada:
- Next Flight: you need to ship by Friday, December 24th
- First: you need to ship by Thursday, December 23rd
- Priority: you need to ship by Saturday, December 18th
- Economy: you need to ship by Friday, December 17th
- Priority Distribution: you need to ship by Friday, December 17th
- To Canada Ground:
- Domestic: you need to ship by Wednesday, December 15th
- Northbound: you need to ship by Monday, December 13th
- Southbound: you need to ship by Tuesday, December 14th
- To Puerto Rico:
- Next Flight: you need to ship by Friday, December 24th
- First: you need to ship by Thursday, December 23rd
- Priority Distribution: you need to ship by Thursday, December 23rd
- Economy: you need to ship by Wednesday, December 22nd
- To Mexico:
- Next Flight: you need to ship by Friday, December 24th
- First Non-Documents: you need to ship by Thursday, December 23rd
- First Documents: you need to ship by Friday, December 24th
- Priority: you need to ship by Wednesday, December 22nd
- Economy: you need to sip by Tuesday, December 21st
You’re More Than Ready to Conquer Christmas!
And there you have it — getting ahead of the Christmas rush has never felt so easy. You’re going to crush it!
BONUS MATERIAL!
Find The Best Low-Cost Shipping Supplier
Find out what happened when we compared pricing of 3 winning services to purchase shipping labels for our Etsy shipments. Which one saved us the most? SHIPSTATION, ETSY LABELS, PIRATE SHIP? We tested them all. How did the service and support rank? Read on to find out….