USPS prepares for the year’s busiest mailing and shipping week
information provided by the United States Postal Service
WASHINGTON, DC (December 19, 2019) – The week beginning December 18 is anticipated to be the busiest week of the holiday mailing and shipping season for the Postal Service. The agency expects to process and deliver nearly 2.5 billion pieces of mail, including packages, this week alone.
Overall, the Postal Service anticipates delivering 800 million packages between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day.
The Postal Service has expanded its Sunday delivery operations in select high package volume locations. The agency already delivers packages on Sundays in most major cities and expects to deliver more than 8 million packages each Sunday in December. Mail carriers will also deliver Priority Mail Express® packages for an additional fee on Christmas Day in select locations.
2019 holiday shipping deadlines
The Postal Service recommends using the following mailing and shipping deadlines to help ensure timely delivery. The dates below are for estimated, not guaranteed, delivery before December 25. Actual delivery date may vary depending on origin, destination, Post Office acceptance date and time, and other conditions:
- Dec. 18—APO/FPO/DPO (except ZIP Code 093) USPS Priority Mail Express
- Dec. 20—First-Class Mail (including greeting cards)
- Dec. 20—First-Class Packages (up to 15.99 ounces)
- Dec. 20—Hawaii to mainland Priority Mail and First-Class Mail
- Dec. 21—Priority Mail
- Dec. 20—Alaska to mainland Priority Mail and First-Class Mail
- Dec. 22—Alaska to mainland Priority Mail Express
- Dec. 22—Hawaii to mainland Priority Mail Express
- Dec. 23—Priority Mail Express
For Priority Mail Express shipments mailed Dec. 21 through Dec. 25, the money-back guarantee applies only if the shipment was not delivered, or delivery was not attempted, within two (2) business days.
New this year
Mail and packages that weigh more than 10 ounces and/or are more than a half-inch thick using stamps as postage cannot be dropped into a collection box or left for a carrier to pick up. Instead, take them to a window clerk at a Post Office. Click-N-Ship customers are unaffected by this change.
The Lansing, Illinois, post office is located at 18125 Roy Street.
