USPS announces mailing deadlines for delivery before Christmas

Dec 17, 2025, 11 AM

By Linn’s Staff

The United States Postal Service announced Dec. 10 its shipping deadlines for delivery prior to Christmas Day, Dec. 25.

For the contiguous United States (lower 48 states), customers should mail by Dec. 17 for USPS Ground Advantage and first-class mail, by Dec. 18 for Priority Mail, and by Dec. 20 for Priority Mail Express.

Shipping dates for Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and U.S. territories are Dec. 16 for USPS Ground Advantage, Dec. 17 for first-class mail, Dec. 18 for Priority Mail, and Dec. 20 for Priority Mail Express.

Additional mailing deadlines can be found on the Postal Service’s website at www.usps.com/holiday/holiday-shipping-dates.htm.

The Postal Service’s key preparations for the 2025 holiday mailing season include the installation of 94 package sorters, bringing the number installed since 2020 to more than 600, and the addition of more than 36,000 new delivery vehicles. The USPS plans to acquire 106,480 new vehicles, 66,000 of which will be zero-emission electric vehicles.

During the past four years, the Postal Service has opened almost 200 processing facilities nationwide. “The new facilities will ensure the Postal Service has the space needed to not only process additional holiday volume but to better serve customers year-round,” the USPS said.

In its efforts to develop a more stable workforce, the Postal Service has converted almost 232,000 pre-career employees to full-time status since 2020. “A national drive began in October to hire an additional 14,000 seasonal employees — down from 40,000 just a few years ago,” according to the Postal Service.

These and other improvements allowed the USPS to outperform its competitors during the 2024 holiday season. The USPS said it “delivered 45 percent more packages and more than 350 million mailpieces per operating day in December 2024 than its competitors.”

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