"Have yourself a merry little peak season," even though "It’s the most, busiest time of the year!" That's why we have created the Holiday Shipping Guide as a special present to you! Make sure to check back in as the season progresses and unwrap additional peak season shipping tips to help grow customer loyalty and retention — all while making the season merry and bright!
UPS® Parcel Shipping Holiday Deadlines 2024
Need it there by Dec. 24? Follow these key deadlines to ensure your shipments arrive on time via holiday shipping from UPS *.
- UPS® Ground (Recommended) Check ups.com/ctc for the most up-to-date transit times.
- UPS 3 Day Select® Thursday, Dec.19
- UPS 2nd Day Air® services Friday, Dec. 20
- UPS Next Day Air® services* Monday, Dec. 23
Holiday Shipping Season Service Alerts
Check out our Service Alerts page for holiday and weather-related announcements that could impact your shipments.
UPS and Freight Carrier Holiday Shipping Schedules
Managing a holiday calendar and factoring in pickup windows or limited operating hours are key to a successful holiday shipping season. Make sure to keep carriers' end-of-year schedules in mind to avoid just-in-time or stuck shipments!
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day fall on Tuesday and Wednesday in 2024. Many companies may extend closures to include Monday, Dec. 23, resulting in a 5-day closure, so plan your shipping cutoff times accordingly. Also, be sure to:
- Work ahead of your typical fulfillment timelines to ensure that you're on schedule for pickups. Always list your true opening and closing times to provide carriers with the widest available pickup window.
- Set realistic expectations regarding cutoff times, transit times and delays. Communicate these expected timelines with your customers to avoid complications, build rapport and encourage repeat business in the new year.
UPS Holiday Schedule
Freight Carrier Holiday Schedule
Did you know?
UPS now offers photo delivery on most shipments! Protect your bottom line and ensure a merry holiday for your customers by entering both a shipper and receiver email when booking UPS shipments. Your parcel’s driver will take a picture of the package upon delivery, helping you and your customers rest easy this holiday season.
Holiday Shipping Rates and Surcharges
UPS fees
The holiday season always sees an increase in shipping demand, leading to fuller trucks and more shipments, which can drive up costs — a trend you struggle with every year. While you can't control the increased capacity charges, you can steer clear of extra fees by staying informed about potential costs that might impact you.
Please note that UPS Peak Surcharges may** apply for:
- Packages that require additional handling and large packages for all U.S. domestic, U.S. import and U.S. export shipments.
- Certain UPS Air Residential, UPS® Ground Residential and UPS SurePost® packages for all U.S. domestic shipments.
- International shipments from all origins to all destinations.
** Some surcharges have certain volume requirements in order to apply; check out how you might be affected by referring to the UPS Peak Surcharges guide.
Freight accessorial fees
For freight shippers, holiday shipping fees can be equally challenging. But knowing which charges to look for and how to avoid them can help you cut costs.
Learn more in our Guide To Understanding Freight Shipping Fees.
Expedited Service
Being short on time doesn't necessarily mean you're short on options. In fact, many of our less-than-truckload (LTL) carrier partners offer shortened transit times, and some guaranteed services may still be available. While UPS has reinstated some service guarantees for the 2024 holiday season, it's a good idea to stay up to date with the status of all guarantees on the UPS website.
Currently, the Service Guarantee is in effect for select Air and International services but is otherwise suspended. Stay ahead of the curve with real-time shipment timelines at ups.com/ctc.
Need to rush a holiday shipment? Check out these two resources for help:
‘Tis the Season to ProfitProtect™ Your Business
Protect your profitability this holiday season with ProfitProtect, our affordable parcel and freight shipping insurance solution backed by UPS Capital®. With coverage up to the full invoice value, plus shipping costs, ProfitProtect ensures you're covered in case of damage or loss — plus, it provides protection against porch piracy, which is not covered by carrier liability. Remember, it’s always a good idea to take photos of your outbound shipments in case you need to file a claim. If you do experience loss or damage, retain the packaging and goods until you’ve received approval to take further action. Protect yourself this holiday season! Focus on growing your business with peace of mind. We’ll handle the rest.
Practical Tips for Holiday Parcel Shipping
From selecting the perfect packaging materials to planning for returns, holiday parcel shipping has enough ins and outs to make anyone feel a little bah-humbug! Luckily, we've prepared some tips to make a big impact on your small package shipping this holiday season.
- Stock up. With e-commerce sales continuing to rise and supply chain issues affecting businesses around the globe, packaging supplies are sure to be in higher demand than ever this holiday season. Order your supplies now so you have plenty on hand when the holiday frenzy begins.
- Insure your shipments. If you don't usually insure your shipments, you may want to consider doing so — at least for the holidays. More packages lead to fuller trucks, which lead to more dings. This small added cost could help you save big this fall and winter.
- Spread out your shipping volume. Take advantage of Saturday services from UPS to more evenly distribute your volume over an additional operating day and increase your likelihood of successful pickups and deliveries.
Small Package Holiday Shipping Guide
Keep UPS Shipping Costs Down During Peak Season
Protect Your UPS Shipping During the Holidays
Why You Need Parcel Shipping Protection
Helpful Resources for Year-End Freight Shipping
Even though we're officially wrapping up this year, the 2024 holiday freight shipping season is just beginning! We know it's been a challenging few years for freight shipping, which is why we've compiled an array of freight shipping resources to help you manage peak season with ease!
- Think fast. With capacity filling quickly, consider selecting carriers with shorter transit times and opting for guaranteed services when available. Should you find yourself in a pinch, we've got you covered with same-day courier and other expedited solutions.
- Stay up to date. Carriers, shippers and shoppers all rely on timely service during the holiday rush. Throughout the season, be sure to stay up to date on all carrier service guarantees and delivery windows. These may change as the season progresses, so don't leave your shipment timelines up to chance.
- Maintain communication. As with shipping at any time of year, communication is key. Communicate any deadlines, expectations and potential hurdles with your customers, and encourage them to do the same. Setting realistic expectations and maintaining an open line of communication not only gives your customers peace of mind, but also helps you build lasting relationships that will extend into the new year and beyond!
Freight Shipping Tips & Tricks for Peak Season
How To Prevent Cargo Theft During Holidays
Unishippers' Guide to Holiday Freight Shipping
