The holiday shipping season is crunch time for logistics teams. In 2025, there are just 19 shipping days between Black Friday and Christmas Eve, and that means every shipping deadline matters.

Unlike USPS (with published USPS holiday shipping deadlines such as First Class Mail Service, Priority Mail Service, Priority Mail Express Service, and USPS Ground Advantage Service) or FedEx (with clear FedEx holiday shipping deadlines for FedEx Express Saver, FedEx SameDay, FedEx Ground, FedEx Home Delivery, and FedEx Freight Economy), UPS uses a more zone-based approach.

That makes it essential for operations leaders to understand the UPS holiday shipping deadlines, holiday schedule adjustments, and how to plan backwards from the last day to ship.

UPS Holiday Schedule 2025

Before looking at specific cutoff shipping dates, it’s important to note UPS’s holiday schedule:

• Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 27): No UPS pickup or delivery service.
• Christmas Eve (Dec. 24): UPS operates on a half-day schedule with limited Air and International Air packages moving. Pickup service may require advance arrangement.
• Christmas Day (Dec. 25): UPS is closed. Only UPS Express Critical® is available.
• New Year’s Eve (Dec. 31): UPS operates on a half-day schedule with limited services.
• New Year’s Day (Jan. 1): UPS is closed.
• Other U.S. holidays including Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day (Feb.), Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day (July), Labor Day, and Veterans Day all impact normal pickup schedules.

This means businesses must prepare for more than just December shipping deadlines, they need visibility across the entire UPS holiday schedule.

UPS Holiday Shipping Deadlines: U.S. Domestic

Here are the UPS shipping deadlines for packages that must arrive by Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, 2025:

• UPS Ground®: Delivery times vary by origin/destination. Use the UPS Time & Cost tool. In many cases, the last date to ship for Ground is Dec. 16–18.
• UPS 3 Day Select®: Industry estimates place the cutoff around Saturday, Dec. 20.
• UPS 2nd Day Air®: Last day is Monday, Dec. 22 for Christmas Eve delivery.
• UPS Next Day Air® (including Saver and Early): Last day is Tuesday, Dec. 23.
• UPS Express Critical®: Available on Christmas Day for urgent packages, but with high cost.

Tip: The company advises planning ahead. Waiting until the last day forces reliance on expensive Next Day Air service or UPS Express Critical.

UPS Holiday Shipping Deadlines: International & Air Freight

UPS is less prescriptive about international shipping dates than the Postal Service or FedEx. Key considerations:

• International Air Packages: For Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico, plan to ship by mid-December for Economy services. Use UPS Worldwide Express® or Worldwide Express Plus® until Dec. 22–23.
• Air Freight: Shipments using UPS Air Freight or Day Air services must be tendered earlier. For safe delivery, target the week of Dec. 15–19.
• Customs may add fewer or extra days, so always build in buffer time.

Overall advice: Use UPS’s Calculate Time & Cost tool for country-specific cutoffs and plan holiday shipping deadlines earlier than the last day.

How UPS Holiday Shipping Deadlines Compare to USPS and FedEx

• USPS Holiday Shipping Deadlines: Include USPS Ground Advantage Service (Dec. 17), First Class Mail (Dec. 17), Priority Mail (Dec. 18), and Priority Mail Express Service (Dec. 20).
• FedEx Holiday Shipping Deadlines: Range from FedEx Ground Economy and FedEx Home Delivery (as early as Dec. 15) to FedEx Express Saver (Dec. 19), FedEx 2Day (Dec. 22), FedEx Priority Overnight & Standard Overnight (Dec. 23), and FedEx SameDay (Dec. 24).
• UPS Holiday Shipping Deadlines: Ground varies, 3 Day Select is around Dec. 20, 2nd Day Air is Dec. 22, and Next Day Air is Dec. 23.

Each carrier has unique holiday schedules. The best strategy is to combine services and fallback options to ensure gifts arrive on time.

Strategies to Manage Holiday Shipping Deadlines

1. Set internal cutoffs: Push “last day to order” dates earlier than carrier deadlines.
2. Use multi-carrier fallback: Once UPS deadlines pass, offer USPS Priority Mail Express Service or FedEx Standard Overnight and FedEx SameDay.
3. Leverage automation: Use platforms like VESYL to adjust routing between UPS services, USPS, and FedEx dynamically.
4. Communicate clearly: Publish banners, email reminders, and checkout notices to reduce customer confusion.
5. Stock supplies early: Order free shipping supplies and confirm location pickup service availability to avoid bottlenecks.

How VESYL Helps Businesses Navigate UPS Holiday Shipping Deadlines

With VESYL, brands can:

• Automate carrier selection across UPS, FedEx, and USPS.
• Generate their own shipping labels to save time.
• Sync orders across platforms for better visibility.
• Plan holiday schedules with confidence, reducing costs and stress.

This ensures your holiday shipping deadlines are met—without overwhelming your team.

Final Takeaway

The UPS holiday shipping deadlines for 2025 are not just about dates—they’re about operational readiness.

• UPS Ground: Dec. 16–18 (varies)
• UPS 3 Day Select: ~Dec. 20
• UPS 2nd Day Air: Dec. 22
• UPS Next Day Air: Dec. 23
• UPS Express Critical: Available on Christmas Day

By planning early, aligning with the UPS holiday schedule, and building in fallback strategies, businesses can keep costs down and ensure holiday packages arrive on time.