Post Office Announces Shipping Deadlines for Holiday Season

The United States Postal Service recently announced the suggested mail-by dates to ensure packages, cards, and letters reach their intended destination before the 2011 celebrations begin.

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Postmarking for domestic mail—mailed from and delivered within the U.S.—and international mail destined for overseas should occur by:

Domestic Mail Product

Mail-by Date

First-Class Mail

Dec. 20

Priority Mail

Dec. 21

Express Mail

Dec. 22

Parcel Post

Dec. 15

DNDC Drop Ship

Dec. 19

DDU Drop Ship

Dec. 22

International Mail Addressed To

Global Express Guaranteed® (GXG)1***

Express Mail® International (EMS)2

Priority Mail® International (PMI)3

First-Class Mail®

Africa

Dec-20

Dec-10

Dec-2

Dec-2

Asia/Pacific Rim

Dec-19

Dec-15

Dec-9

Dec-9

Australia/New Zealand

Dec-19

Dec-15

Dec-9

Dec-9

Canada

Dec-21

Dec-16

Dec-12

Dec-9

Caribbean

Dec-20

Dec-15

Dec-12

Dec-9

Central & South America

Dec-20

Dec-10

Dec-2

Dec-2

Mexico

Dec-21

Dec-15

Dec-9

Dec-9

Europe

Dec-20

Dec-15

Dec-12

Dec-9

Middle East

Dec-20

Dec-15

Dec-12

Dec-9

1 Cutoff date does not take into account time needed for customs clearance.
2 Should allocate extra transit day(s) for delivery outside major cities.
3 Last day to ship to Afghanistan is Dec 19 and Iraq is Dec 16.

Letters for Santa Claus must be received by Dec. 10. To receive a special holiday postmark, customers should affix the correct postage to addressed envelopes and cards; then pack them in a larger envelope, box, Priority Mail or Express Mail package and them to: North Pole Holiday Cancellation, Postmaster, 4141 Postmark Dr., Anchorage, AK 99530-9998.

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