USPS recommended send-by dates for Christmas 2026
Planning estimates by service and destination, with unsupported dates withheld. Confirm the exact route with the carrier.
Independent planning tool. 2025 references were recorded on 2026-08-02 from unverified search-result extracts. No 2026 carrier deadline has been verified in this edition. Planning estimate only, not a delivery guarantee. Confirm route, acceptance time and service availability with the carrier.
USPS
2025 references were recorded on 2026-08-02 from unverified search-result extracts. No 2026 carrier deadline has been verified in this edition.
Planning estimate only, not a delivery guarantee. Confirm route, acceptance time and service availability with the carrier.
Lower 48 states
| Service | Planning date and evidence |
|---|---|
| USPS Ground Advantage | Projected estimate 7 shipping-day estimate to 2026-12-25; Sundays excluded. Reference: 2025-12-17 (2025). Saturdays and local acceptance times are not individually modeled. Save estimate (.ics) |
| First-Class Mail | Projected estimate 7 shipping-day estimate to 2026-12-25; Sundays excluded. Reference: 2025-12-17 (2025). Saturdays and local acceptance times are not individually modeled. Save estimate (.ics) |
| Priority Mail | Projected estimate 6 shipping-day estimate to 2026-12-25; Sundays excluded. Reference: 2025-12-18 (2025). Saturdays and local acceptance times are not individually modeled. Save estimate (.ics) |
| Priority Mail Express | Projected estimate 4 shipping-day estimate to 2026-12-25; Sundays excluded. Reference: 2025-12-20 (2025). Saturdays and local acceptance times are not individually modeled. Save estimate (.ics) |
Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico & U.S. territories
| Service | Planning date and evidence |
|---|---|
| USPS Ground Advantage | Projected estimate 8 shipping-day estimate to 2026-12-25; Sundays excluded. Reference: 2025-12-16 (2025). Saturdays and local acceptance times are not individually modeled. Save estimate (.ics) |
| First-Class Mail | Projected estimate 7 shipping-day estimate to 2026-12-25; Sundays excluded. Reference: 2025-12-17 (2025). Saturdays and local acceptance times are not individually modeled. Save estimate (.ics) |
| Priority Mail | Projected estimate 6 shipping-day estimate to 2026-12-25; Sundays excluded. Reference: 2025-12-18 (2025). Saturdays and local acceptance times are not individually modeled. Save estimate (.ics) |
| Priority Mail Express | Projected estimate 4 shipping-day estimate to 2026-12-25; Sundays excluded. Reference: 2025-12-20 (2025). Saturdays and local acceptance times are not individually modeled. Save estimate (.ics) |
Military & diplomatic (APO / FPO / DPO)
| Service | Planning date and evidence |
|---|---|
| USPS Retail Ground | Projected estimate 44 shipping-day estimate to 2026-12-25; Sundays excluded. Reference: 2025-11-04 (2025). Saturdays and local acceptance times are not individually modeled. Save estimate (.ics) |
| First-Class Mail | Projected estimate 14 shipping-day estimate to 2026-12-25; Sundays excluded. Reference: 2025-12-09 (2025). Saturdays and local acceptance times are not individually modeled. Save estimate (.ics) |
| Priority Mail | Projected estimate 14 shipping-day estimate to 2026-12-25; Sundays excluded. Reference: 2025-12-09 (2025). Saturdays and local acceptance times are not individually modeled. Save estimate (.ics) |
| Priority Mail Express Military | Projected estimate 8 shipping-day estimate to 2026-12-25; Sundays excluded. Reference: 2025-12-16 (2025). Saturdays and local acceptance times are not individually modeled. Save estimate (.ics) |