Seasonal & Holidays
Christmas 2023 Shipping Deadlines Near In Illinois: What To Know
The U.S. Postal Service, FedEx and UPS have all set deadlines for shipping presents both in the United States and internationally.
ILLINOIS — As the calendar flips to December, it's time for Illinois residents to make sure they're getting Christmas presents in the mail with the big holiday looming. The U.S. Postal Service, FedEx and UPS all have shipping deadlines in place as the price to mail something increases the closer it gets to Dec. 25.
The U.S. Postal Service has the following deadlines for the lower 48 states, excluding Alaska and Hawaii:
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- USPS Ground Advantage — Dec. 16
- First-Class Mail (including greeting cards) — Dec. 16
- Priority Mail — Dec. 18
- Priority Mail Express — Dec. 20
FedEx also has a number of shipping deadlines in place. Here are some of the recommended last days for shipping holiday gifts:
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FedEx Express
- FedEx Same Day: Friday, Dec. 22
- FO, PO, SO, Extra Hours: Thursday, Dec. 21 (Friday, Dec. 22 with Saturday delivery selected)
- 2-day and 2-day AM: Wednesday, Dec. 20
- FedEx Express Saver: Tuesday, Dec. 19
- FedEx Express one-day freight: Thursday, Dec. 21
- FedEx Express two-day freight: Wednesday, Dec. 20
- FedEx Express three-day freight: Tuesday, Dec. 19
FedEx Ground
- FedEx Ground
- Five-day shipping: Friday, Dec. 15
- Four-day shipping: Monday, Dec. 18
- Three-day shipping: Tuesday, Dec. 19
- FedEx Home Delivery
- Five-day shipping: Friday, Dec. 15
- Four-day shipping: Monday, Dec. 18
- Three-day shipping: Wednesday, Dec. 20
- FedEx Ground Economy
- Wednesday, Dec. 13
FedEx Freight
- FedEx Freight Priority
- Five-day shipping: Friday, Dec. 15
- Four-day shipping: Monday, Dec. 18
- Three-day shipping: Tuesday, Dec. 19
- FedEx Freight Economy
- Tuesday, Dec. 12
In addition, UPS has its own recommended dates for shipping holiday gifts within the United States for delivery by Sunday, Dec. 24. The recommendations are:
UPS Christmas Shipping Deadlines 2023
- Ground: Check the UPS website for details
- 3-Day Select: Dec. 19
- 2nd Day Air: Dec. 20 (or Dec. 21 with Saturday delivery options)
- Next Day Air: Dec. 21 (or Dec. 22 with Saturday Delivery options)
Shipping deadlines for international mail range from Nov. 29 to Dec. 15. The ground shipping deadline for military service members has already passed. First-class and priority mail deadlines are Dec. 9; the deadline for Priority Mail Express Military service is Dec. 15.
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