Everything to Know About the Delivery Time of FedEx, UPS, and USPS

Virginia Miller

May 20, 2024

In this article:

Frequently Asked Questions

eCommerce businesses tie up with postal services and courier companies to deliver the packages on time. Mainly three popular services are operating in the US, FedEx, UPS, and USPS. Each carrier provides a different range of service levels along with rates.

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Delivery Times and Schedules for Top Shipping Carriers

FedEx Delivery Times

FedEx offers a variety of delivery services with different schedules. FedEx Ground usually delivers by the end of the business day, Monday-Friday. FedEx Home Delivery may deliver as late as 8pm. Overnight options like FedEx First Overnight aim to deliver by early morning the next day.

Meaning of "End of Day" for FedEx

For FedEx Ground, "end of day" typically means by 5pm when offices close. For Home Delivery, it's around 8pm local time.

Maximum Delivery Time

FedEx Ground delivers in 1-7 business days depending on location. FedEx Express Freight offers 1-3 day service to most US areas.

UPS Delivery Windows

UPS Ground delivers residential packages between 9am-7pm and business packages during business hours. Unlike FedEx, UPS does not offer scheduled delivery times.

UPS "End of Day" Time

"End of day" for UPS is usually around 5pm when businesses close.

Maximum Delivery Time

UPS deliveries take up to 6-7 days depending on location.

USPS Delivery Schedules

As the national postal service, USPS delivers to virtually every US address. Delivery times vary, with some receiving mail in the morning and some in afternoon.

USPS "End of Day" Meaning

For USPS, "end of day" means midnight. Local post offices close earlier but packages can still be dropped at distribution centers.

USPS Delivery Time

Priority Mail is guaranteed within 1-3 days (recently extended to 4 days). Most packages arrive in 1-3 days.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are FedEx's delivery timeframes?

FedEx Ground delivers by end of day, usually around 5pm on weekdays. FedEx Home Delivery goes up to 8pm. Overnight options deliver next-day morning.

What does "end of day" mean for each carrier?

For FedEx Ground and UPS it typically means around 5pm when offices close. For FedEx Home Delivery it's around 8pm. USPS defines it as midnight.

How many days can a ground shipment take?

FedEx Ground takes 1-7 weekdays based on location. Similarly, UPS Ground takes up to 6-7 days. USPS Priority Mail aims for 1-4 days.

When will my UPS residential delivery arrive?

UPS delivers residential packages between 9am-7pm on weekdays and weekends.

Does USPS deliver on weekends?

Yes, USPS delivers priority mail and packages on Saturdays and Sundays.

Can I select a preferred delivery window?

FedEx offers scheduled Home Delivery while UPS does not have designated timeframes. USPS does not offer specific delivery windows.

Which is faster for overnight delivery?

FedEx First Overnight is fastest, aiming to deliver by 8:30-9:30am the next day in most areas.

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