The United States Postal Service (USPS) has issued provisional rate increases for package shipping services during the 2025 holiday season, a move that can impact millions of Americans who plan to send Christmas gifts. USPS will be charging surcharges between October 5, 2025, and January 18, 2026, in an effort to help cover extra-handling charges and put the service on track for a successful peak season period, according to a formal press release.
Services affected by the price increase
Four major domestic package services are affected by the temporary price increase:
- Priority Mail Express
- Priority Mail
- USPS Ground Advantage
- Parcel Select
No other USPS services, such as stamps or overseas mail, are affected by this holiday season pricing adjustment. This targeted policy aims to balance peak season business needs with the mission of the agency to provide reasonably priced package and mail delivery.
How much will prices increase?
The surcharges depend on package weight and shipping zone, zones numbered 1 through 9 depending on how far they are from the origin point. The minimum increase for light-weight packages being delivered locally is 40 cents, and the highest increase is a hefty $16 for heavy oversized packages traveling a long distance by Priority Mail Express.
Here are some example surcharges for retail customers:
- USPS Ground Advantage and Priority Mail (Zones 1-4): $0.40 to $3.00 surcharge by weight
- Priority Mail (Zones 5-9): $0.90 to $7.00 surcharge
- USPS Ground Advantage (Zones 5-9): $0.50 to $5.75 surcharge
- Priority Mail Express: $1.10 for lightweight packages, up to $16 for heavy 26-70 lbs packages
Increases also extend to flat rate items, with large flat rate boxes receiving a $1.45 increase and flat rate Priority Mail Express envelopes going up by $2.00.
Reason behind the price increases
The USPS insists that the temporary increases are necessary to absorb additional handling charges the company faces during the busy holiday mailing and shipping season. During this peak season, the agency has to deploy extra capacity, personnel, and equipment to handle the torrent of millions of packages without compromising on delivery on time.
This holiday rate is consistent with the way private shippers FedEx and UPS have traditionally operated, applying holiday-specific surcharges to subsidize peak season costs. USPS emphasizes that the changes are temporary and for the purpose of positioning it in conformity with industry norms so the holiday shipping season can be successful.
Impact on holiday shoppers and mail mailing dates
The advance scheduling of the hikes causes customers to include extra shipping costs while ordering holiday gifts. For those shipping heavier or priority packages, the surcharge alone costs a significant added expense factor—up to $16 extra per Priority Mail Express package in remote zones.
USPS recommends that customers ship Christmas gifts by these dates in the contiguous United States to ensure delivery on time:
- December 17 for USPS Ground Advantage and First-Class Mail
- December 18 for Priority Mail
- December 20 for Priority Mail Express
For Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and other U.S. territories, the suggested dates are generally one day earlier. These deadlines become even more critical with the increased shipping volume and cost.
Commercial vs. Retail shippers
While both retail (individual) and commercial (business) clients are affected by the surcharges, commercial accounts receive smaller increases through volume discounts. Nonetheless, the rises are significant across the board.
Businesses that rely heavily on USPS for holiday shipping will have to take these changes into account in logistics planning, but individual consumers should send early and use slower, less expensive transportation when feasible.
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