Peak season surcharges for 2026 holiday shipping start as early as September 20 this year, and the first send-by dates land in early November. We’ve pulled together everything our carrier partners have shared with us so far, so Canadian businesses can plan inventory, set customer expectations and budget for the extra costs.
We’ll keep updating this post as more carriers release their 2026 holiday schedules, so it’s worth bookmarking.
Last updated: September 30, 2026
At a glance
| Carrier / fee | Dates in effect |
|---|---|
| UPS irregular package fees | Sep 20, 2026 – Jan 16, 2027 |
| FedEx Express peak surcharges (within Canada) | Sep 28, 2026 – Jan 17, 2027 |
| USPS peak season price increases (domestic) | Oct 4, 2026 – Jan 17, 2027 |
| GLS peak surcharges | Oct 19, 2026 – Jan 15, 2027 |
| UPS surge/demand fee | Oct 25, 2026 – Jan 16, 2027 |
| Canada Post peak surcharges | Nov 2, 2026 – Jan 10, 2027 |
| GLS higher residential rate | Nov 16 – Dec 27 |
| Purolator peak surcharges | Update coming soon |
Most surcharges run until mid-January. The busiest stretch, when GLS charges its higher residential rate, runs from November 16 to December 27.
UPS
UPS peak surcharges run September 20, 2026 to January 16, 2027 for irregular packages. A surge/demand fee applies to every package from October 25.
Peak season irregular package surcharges (all movements and services)
| Surcharge | Rate (CAD) | Effective dates |
|---|---|---|
| Additional Handling | $7.70 per package | Sep 20, 2026 – Jan 16, 2027 |
| Large Package | $77.00 per package | Sep 20, 2026 – Jan 16, 2027 |
| Over Maximum (OverMax) | $495.00 per package | Sep 20, 2026 – Jan 16, 2027 |
| Surge/demand fee (residential and commercial) | $0.75 per package | Oct 25, 2026 – Jan 16, 2027 |
The surge/demand fee applies to UPS domestic air and ground shipments within Canada, and to UPS Standard shipments to and from the US.
International Demand and Surge Emergency Fees
UPS also charges per-kilogram Surge Emergency Fees on international shipments to and from Canada. Rates vary by region, so check the UPS Canada fee sheet for your lanes:
- Most regions: September 27, 2026 to January 16, 2027.
- Australia/New Zealand and Europe/ISMEA: until February 2, 2027.
- Middle East and UAE shipments to Canada, and Canada-to-Israel shipments: in effect until further notice.
- Afghanistan, Iraq and Egypt fall under the Europe/ISMEA rates, not the Middle East rates.
Holiday send-by dates for UPS are coming soon. We’ll add them here once UPS publishes them.
GLS Canada
GLS peak surcharges run October 19, 2026 to January 15, 2027. They only apply to certain shipment types. The residential rate goes up during the busiest weeks, November 16 to December 27.
| Surcharge | Rate | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Residential / low commercial density area | $0.75 per piece | Oct 19 – Nov 15 and Dec 28 – Jan 15 |
| Residential / low commercial density area | $0.95 per piece | Nov 16 – Dec 27 |
| Special handling | $6.95 per piece | Oct 19 – Jan 15 |
| Large package | $14.95 per piece | Oct 19 – Jan 15 |
| Over max limits (over 10 ft, 150 lb or 165 in. combined) | $595.00 per piece | Oct 19 – Jan 15 |
Holiday send-by dates for GLS are coming soon. We’ll add them here once GLS publishes them.
USPS (US shipments)
To arrive by December 25, USPS Ground Advantage shipments within the lower 48 states need to go out by Thursday, December 17. International mail needs to go out by Wednesday, December 9. Hanukkah starts early this year (December 4–12), so send those gifts sooner.
Temporary peak season price increases
USPS is adding temporary peak season increases to domestic Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, USPS Ground Advantage and Parcel Select, for both retail and commercial prices. Pending approval by the Postal Regulatory Commission, they run from October 4, 2026 to January 17, 2027 (12:00 a.m. CT). No other USPS products or services are affected.
Commercial price increases
| Weight | Priority Mail & Ground Advantage, Zones 1–4 | Priority Mail, Zones 5–9 | Ground Advantage, Zones 5–9 | Priority Mail Express, Zones 1–4 | Priority Mail Express, Zones 5–9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–3 lbs | +$0.40 | +$0.85 | +$0.55 | +$1.40 | +$2.35 |
| 4–10 lbs | +$0.65 | +$1.75 | +$1.05 | +$2.10 | +$5.55 |
| 11–25 lbs | +$1.05 | +$3.85 | +$1.75 | +$4.90 | +$10.50 |
| 26–70 lbs | +$3.15 | +$9.10 | +$7.70 | +$12.55 | +$18.20 |
Commercial cubic pricing follows the same weight bands: Cubic Tiers 1–3 get the 0–3 lb increase, Tiers 4–5 (Priority Mail) and 4–9 (Ground Advantage) get the 4–10 lb increase, and Ground Advantage Tier 10 gets the 11–25 lb increase. Oversized Priority Mail (Zones 1–4) and Ground Advantage packages get the 26–70 lb increase.
Flat Rate (commercial): +$1.75 for Priority Mail Large Flat Rate Boxes, +$0.85 for all other Priority Mail Flat Rate products and +$2.35 for Priority Mail Express Flat Rate Envelopes.
Parcel Select (all entries): +$0.40 for 0–3 lbs, +$0.50 for 4–10 lbs, +$0.80 for 11–25 lbs and +$2.35 for 26–70 lbs and Oversized.
Retail price increases
| Weight | Priority Mail & Ground Advantage, Zones 1–4 | Priority Mail, Zones 5–9 | Ground Advantage, Zones 5–9 | Priority Mail Express, Zones 1–4 | Priority Mail Express, Zones 5–9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–3 lbs | +$0.50 | +$1.00 | +$0.75 | +$1.40 | +$2.35 |
| 4–10 lbs | +$0.80 | +$2.10 | +$1.40 | +$2.45 | +$6.30 |
| 11–25 lbs | +$1.25 | +$4.30 | +$2.75 | +$5.05 | +$11.70 |
| 26–70 lbs | +$3.90 | +$9.10 | +$7.50 | +$12.70 | +$20.80 |
Oversized Priority Mail (Zones 1–4) and Ground Advantage packages get the 26–70 lb increase. Flat Rate (retail): +$2.10 for Priority Mail Large Flat Rate Boxes, +$1.00 for all other Priority Mail Flat Rate products and +$2.35 for Priority Mail Express Flat Rate Envelopes.
For more background, see our post on the USPS temporary price increases for the 2026 holiday season.
Domestic send-by dates for delivery by December 25
| Service | Lower 48 states | Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico & US territories |
|---|---|---|
| USPS Ground Advantage | Thu, Dec 17 | Wed, Dec 16 |
| First-Class Mail | Thu, Dec 17 | Thu, Dec 17 |
| Priority Mail | Fri, Dec 18 | Fri, Dec 18 |
| Priority Mail Express | Sat, Dec 19 | Sat, Dec 19 |
International send-by dates (same for all regions, including Canada)
| Service | Send by |
|---|---|
| First-Class Package International | Wed, Dec 9 |
| Priority Mail International | Wed, Dec 9 |
| Priority Mail Express International | Wed, Dec 16 |
Military mail (APO/FPO/DPO): Ground Advantage by Wed, Nov 4. First-Class Mail and Priority Mail by Wed, Dec 9. Priority Mail Express Military by Wed, Dec 16 (not available for ZIP 093).
Actual delivery dates can vary by origin, destination and drop-off time. Source: USPS holiday shipping dates.
Canada Post
Canada Post peak surcharges run November 2, 2026 to January 10, 2027. They only apply to items that need special handling, so regular parcels ship at normal rates.
| Surcharge | Regular rate | Peak rate (Nov 2 – Jan 10) |
|---|---|---|
| Oversize item | $21 | $30 |
| Unpackaged item | $21 | $30 |
| Out-of-spec item | $300 | $400 |
During the peak period, Canada Post will only honour late-delivery guarantee claims on Priority, Xpresspost and Expedited Parcel shipments within Canada if the item arrives two or more business days after the delivery standard. Build a day of cushion into the delivery estimates you show customers.
Holiday send-by dates for Canada Post are coming soon. We’ll add them here once Canada Post publishes them.
FedEx
FedEx Express peak surcharges for shipments within Canada run September 28, 2026 to January 17, 2027. They apply to oversized, heavy or non-standard packages.
FedEx Express peak surcharges (within Canada)
| Surcharge | Rate (CAD) | Effective dates |
|---|---|---|
| Additional Handling | $32.30 – $36.35 per shipment | Sep 28, 2026 – Jan 17, 2027 |
| Oversize | $174.00 per shipment | Sep 28, 2026 – Jan 17, 2027 |
| Unauthorized package | $1,460 per shipment | Sep 28, 2026 – Jan 17, 2027 |
Demand surcharges on FedEx Express international shipments started September 21, 2026; rates are listed at fedex.ca/demand.
Holiday send-by dates for FedEx are coming soon. We’ll add them here once FedEx publishes them.
Purolator
We’re still waiting on Purolator to share its 2026 holiday shipping cutoffs and peak surcharges. We’ll update this post as soon as we have them.
How to get ready for 2026 holiday shipping
- Check your package sizes. Most peak surcharges hit large, heavy or odd-shaped parcels. Right-sizing your boxes can save $7.70 to $77.00 per package with UPS, and up to $174 on an oversized FedEx Express shipment.
- Ship early. Aim for the week before each cutoff to leave room for delays.
- Build surcharges into your prices. The small per-package fees add up across hundreds of holiday orders.
- Compare carriers. The same parcel can carry very different peak fees. On netParcel you can compare rates before you book.
