INDIANAPOLIS — The United States Postal Service has released its shipping and mailing deadlines for the 2023 holiday season.
To ensure arrival by Christmas Day (Dec. 25), Hoosiers must get their letters to post offices by Dec. 16 if they are using typical USPS first-class mail services. Most postcards, letters and small packages weighing 13 ounces or fewer are considered first-class mail, according to Castle Press.
USPS is also offering a new delivery option for packages this holiday season — USPS Ground Advantage. The postal service claims the new shipping option is “a simple, affordable and reliable way to ship packages with day certain delivery of 2-5 business days, based on distance.”
The deadline for Hoosiers — and other people residing in the contiguous 48 states — to ship packages with USPS Ground Advantage is Dec. 16.
For those that may procrastinate on holiday shopping, there are options to ensure mail is delivered on time past the Dec. 16 deadlines for first-class and USPS Ground Advantage parcels. USPS offers Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express shipping options, the deadlines for which are Dec. 18 and 20, respectively.
Shipping deadlines in Hawaii, Alaska and U.S. Military installations are different than those USPS has set for the lower 48. Here’s a glance at those deadlines:
Alaska
— USPS Ground Advantage, Dec. 16
— First-Class Mail, Dec. 16
— Priority Mail, Dec. 18
— Priority Mail Express, Dec. 20
Hawaii
— USPS Ground Advantage, Dec. 16
— First-Class Mail, Dec. 16
— Priority Mail, Dec. 18
— Priority Mail Express, Dec. 20
Air/Army Post Office (APO), Fleet Post Office (FPO), Diplomatic Post Office (DPO)
— USPS Ground advantage, Nov. 6
— First-Class Mail, Dec. 9
— Priority Mail, Dec. 9
— Priority Mail Express Military Service, Dec. 15
