6 Best Delivery Services for Last-Minute Christmas Gifts

Christmas falls on a Friday this year; so if you usually put off your holiday shopping until late in the month, you might have to get expedited shipping. Fortunately, more businesses are tapping into the delivery market and offering immediate solutions for Christmas gift procrastinators — and even options for same-day delivery gifts.

Read on to see our comparisons and suggestions for which shipping companies are the best for your last-minute Christmas presents.

FedEx offers several options for those in a time crunch — but you’ll pay for the extra flexibility. The last posting date for Ground and Home Delivery is Dec. 15; the FedEx 2Day deadline is Dec. 22; FedEx First Overnight and FedEx Priority Overnight shipments are due on Dec. 23. For those who are really going for the last-minute gift, FedEx offers parcel delivery on Dec. 25, though you’ll need to check the FedEx website details about availability.

UPS will make no deliveries on Dec. 25, so time your shipping accordingly. You’ll need to visit your local UPS store by Dec. 21 to send your gifts by 3 Day Select and Dec. 22 to send by 2nd Day Air. Dec. 23 is the last day to send your presents by UPS Next Day Air.

Combining a courier service with a shipping service, USA Couriers is a lifesaver for last-minute shoppers. The company offers same-day delivery of gifts and packages 365 days a year, including Christmas Day. Customers simply need to call 800-450-4872 and press zero to speak with a coordinator. Within 90 minutes of your call, the package will be picked up and on its way to your intended destination.

USPS sells affordable shipping supplies and is typically the cheapest option among the big delivery companies; however, it also has the earliest posting dates for your gifts to arrive in time for Christmas. You have until Dec. 15 to send your Christmas gifts by USPS Retail Ground, Dec. 18 with First Class, Dec. 19 when using Priority Mail and Dec. 23 if you opt for shipping packages via Priority Mail Express. All packages come with USPS tracking, so you can verify that your gift arrived on time.

To get free shipping without being an Amazon Prime member, the last posting date is Dec. 14 for specific items. For standard shipping in the contiguous United States, order by Dec. 18; order by Dec. 22 for two-day shipping and order by Dec. 23 for one-day shipping. For same-day shipping, order by Dec. 24 before 9:30 a.m. local time, though this service is only available in some cities.

Amazon Prime subscribers might be eligible for holiday shipping discounts, and certain cities might qualify for same-day gift delivery through Prime.

Although eBay delivery times depend on the individual seller’s policies, you can make sure to only purchase items that have short shipping and handling times. The listing should note the typical expected handling and delivery time from the seller, so double-check before you buy. Many sellers are also happy to upgrade shipping if you pay the difference.