2019 holiday shipping deadlines

(KFVS) - If you plan on sending gifts to your loved ones, make sure you make the shipping deadline.

The U.S. Postal Service recommends the following mailing and shipping deadlines for an expected delivery date of Dec. 25.

Air/Army Post Office/Fleet Office/Diplomatic Post Office and domestic addresses:

Nov. 6 - APO/FPO/DPO (all zip codes) USPS Retail Ground service
Dec. 9 - APO/FPO/DPO (zip code 093 only) Priority Mail and First-Class Mail
Dec. 11 - APO/FPO/DPO (all other zip codes) Priority Mail and First-Class Mail services
Dec. 14 - USPS Retail Ground service
Dec. 18 - APO/FPO/DPO (except zip code 093) USPS Priority Mail Express service
Dec. 20 - First-Class mail service (including greeting cards)
Dec. 20 - First-Class packages (up to 15.99 ounces)
Dec. 21 - Priority Mail service
Dec. 23 - Priority Mail Express service

Alaska:

Dec. 18 - Alaska to mainland First-Class Mail service
Dec. 19 - Alaska to mainland Priority Mail service
Dec. 21 - Alaska to mainland Priority Mail Express service

Hawaii:

Dec. 19 - Hawaii to mainland Priority Mail and First-Class Mail services
Dec. 21 - Hawaii to mainland Priority Mail Express service

Beginning the week of Dec. 9, the USPS says customer traffic is expected to increase, with the week of Dec. 16-22 predicted to be the busiest mailing, shipping and delivery week.

Also, there are a few changes for shipping packages this year.

According to the USPS, for safety reasons, as of Oct. 1 you can no longer drop off stamped packages that are more than on-half inch thick and/or weighing more than 10 ounces into blue collection boxes, building mail chutes or Post Office mail slots. This means using individual stamps as postage.

Instead, you must go to a retail counter or use the self-service kiosk to buy a postage label.

The recommended last days to ship with UPS for a Dec. 24 delivery also vary depending on where you’re shipping to.

U.S. Domestic