USPS Announced the Holiday Shipping Deadlines for 2022

published Nov 5, 2022

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It may not feel like it right now, but the holiday season will be here before we know it, and it’s never too early to get your gifts in order. Although research shows that nearly half of Americans plan to travel this holiday season — a marked increase from the early pandemic days — the United Postal Service is still bound to see another busy shipping season, and the better-prepared you are, the better.

Ahead of the 2022 holiday season, USPS released its holiday shipping deadlines to ensure that your packages make it to loved ones by Dec. 25. The bottom line: The earlier you send holiday gifts and cards, the better.

To make the holiday mailing season as painless as possible, USPS recommends using free Priority Mail Flat Rate boxes (available at Post Office locations or online), and creating shipping labels and paying for postage ahead of time online. You can also schedule a free Package Pickup when the carrier delivers your mail.

If prices look slightly different from previous years, don’t be alarmed. As part of “Delivering for America,” the Postal Service’s 10-year plan for achieving financial sustainability, the Postal Service has also implemented temporary price adjustments for the holiday season. Priority mail and Priority Mail Express boxes and envelopes will increase by $0.95, while . These changes will be in place through Jan. 22, 2023.

Check out a list of key 2022 USPS holiday shipping deadlines for the U.S. below.

Contiguous U.S. (excluding Alaska & Hawaii)

Dec. 17 — USPS Retail Ground Service
Dec. 17 — First-Class Mail Service
Dec. 19 — Priority Mail Service
Dec. 23 — Priority Mail Express Service

Alaska

Dec. 2 — USPS Retail Ground Service
Dec. 17 — First-Class Mail Service
Dec. 17 — Priority Mail Service
Dec. 21 — Priority Mail Express Service

Hawaii

Dec. 17 — First-Class Mail Service
Dec. 17 — Priority Mail Service
Dec. 21 — Priority mail Express Service

U.S. Military Mail

Nov. 5 — APO/FPO/DPO USPS Retail Ground service
Dec. 9 — APO/FPO/DPO Priority Mail and First-Class Mail
Dec. 16 — APO/FPO/DPO USPS Priority Mail Express Military service

You can check out USPS’ full list of holiday shipping deadlines (which include international locations) here.

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