# UPS Holidays 2026: Closures and Delivery Changes > UPS closes next on Thanksgiving, Nov 26, 2026; for Christmas Eve delivery, ship by Dec 21 (3 Day Select), Dec 22 (2nd Day Air), and Dec 23 (Next Day Air). - **Author**: Charles Helms - **Published**: 2026-01-01 - **Updated**: 2026-10-15 - **Category**: ups - **URL**: https://trackingadvice.com/ups-holidays/ --- The next UPS closure is Thanksgiving, Thursday, November 26, 2026, with no pickup or delivery. For delivery by Christmas Eve, ship by December 21 for 3 Day Select, December 22 for 2nd Day Air, and December 23 for Next Day Air. UPS Ground has no single cutoff date; UPS points you to its Calculate Time and Cost tool for your route. These dates come from UPS's published 2026 schedules. ## 2026 UPS holiday shipping deadlines for Christmas UPS holiday shipping deadlines for Christmas 2026 fall between December 21 and December 23 for domestic air packages delivering by Thursday, December 24, 2026. | Service | Last day to ship | Delivers by | | ---------------- | ----------------------------- | --------------------------- | | UPS Ground | Check Calculate Time and Cost | Thursday, December 24, 2026 | | UPS 3 Day Select | Monday, December 21, 2026 | Thursday, December 24, 2026 | | UPS 2nd Day Air | Tuesday, December 22, 2026 | Thursday, December 24, 2026 | | UPS Next Day Air | Wednesday, December 23, 2026 | Thursday, December 24, 2026 | _Source: [UPS 2026 Year-End Holiday Schedule](https://assets.ups.com/adobe/assets/urn:aaid:aem:e8548535-8096-4fa9-9cef-2b81aef7c26c/original/as/year-end-holiday-schedule-us-en.pdf). Verified on the carrier's website._ | Destination and service | Last day to ship | Delivers by | | --------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------- | --------------------------- | | Canada: UPS Standard (48 contiguous states only) | Check Calculate Time and Cost | Thursday, December 24, 2026 | | Canada: UPS Worldwide Expedited | Tuesday, December 22, 2026 | Thursday, December 24, 2026 | | Canada: UPS Worldwide Express | Wednesday, December 23, 2026 | Thursday, December 24, 2026 | | Mexico: UPS Standard services (48 contiguous states only) | Check Calculate Time and Cost | Thursday, December 24, 2026 | | Mexico: UPS Worldwide Expedited | Monday, December 21, 2026 | Thursday, December 24, 2026 | | Mexico: UPS Worldwide Express | Tuesday, December 22, 2026 | Thursday, December 24, 2026 | _Source: [UPS 2026 Year-End Holiday Schedule](https://assets.ups.com/adobe/assets/urn:aaid:aem:e8548535-8096-4fa9-9cef-2b81aef7c26c/original/as/year-end-holiday-schedule-us-en.pdf). Verified on the carrier's website._ UPS Ground has no single national ship-by date. UPS sends you to its [Calculate Time and Cost](https://wwwapps.ups.com/ctc/request?loc=en_US) tool instead, and the same goes for UPS Standard shipments to Canada and Mexico (available from the 48 contiguous states only). Enter your origin and destination postal codes to find your exact cutoff date. For last days to ship to other international destinations, UPS also points you to Calculate Time and Cost. To coordinate holiday shipping across couriers, check our guide to [2026 holiday shipping deadlines for every major carrier](https://trackingadvice.com/holiday-shipping-deadlines-2026/), as well as our schedules for [USPS holidays](https://trackingadvice.com/usps-holidays/) and [FedEx holidays](https://trackingadvice.com/fedex-holidays/). ## Every 2026 UPS holiday: pickup, delivery and The UPS Store UPS shuts down completely on seven holidays in 2026, while running regular operations or modified services on several other federal holidays throughout the year. | Date | Holiday | UPS pickup and delivery | The UPS Store | | ---------------------------- | -------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | | Thursday, January 1, 2026 | New Year's Day | Closed | May be closed (check local store) | | Monday, January 19, 2026 | Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Closed | May be closed | | Saturday, February 14, 2026 | Valentine's Day | Open | Open | | Monday, February 16, 2026 | Presidents' Day | Open (Ground Saver and Mail Innovations +1 business day transit because of the federal USPS holiday) | Open | | Friday, April 3, 2026 | Good Friday | Open | Open | | Sunday, April 5, 2026 | Easter | Closed | May be closed | | Sunday, May 10, 2026 | Mother's Day | Closed | May be closed | | Monday, May 25, 2026 | Memorial Day | Closed | May be closed | | Friday, June 19, 2026 | Juneteenth | Open | Open | | Friday, July 3, 2026 | Independence Day (observed) | Ground, Air & International open (UPS Air and Ocean Freight services are closed that day) | Open | | Saturday, July 4, 2026 | Independence Day | Closed | May be closed | | Monday, September 7, 2026 | Labor Day | Closed | May be closed | | Monday, October 12, 2026 | Indigenous Peoples' Day (Columbus Day) | Open (Ground Saver and Mail Innovations +1 business day) | Open | | Wednesday, November 11, 2026 | Veterans Day | Open (Ground Saver and Mail Innovations +1 business day) | Open | | Thursday, November 26, 2026 | Thanksgiving | Closed | May be closed | | Friday, November 27, 2026 | Day after Thanksgiving (Black Friday) | Open, normal pickup and delivery | Open | | Thursday, December 24, 2026 | Christmas Eve | Delivery for all services (Air, international Air, UPS Standard, UPS Ground); pickup only for Air and international Air if prearranged by Friday, December 18; no UPS Ground pickup; UPS On-Call Pickup available to all customers for Air and international Air | Open | | Friday, December 25, 2026 | Christmas Day | Closed | May be closed | | Thursday, December 31, 2026 | New Year's Eve | Pickup only for Air and international Air if prearranged by Monday, December 28; no Ground pickup; UPS On-Call Pickup available for Air and international Air; delivery conflict between UPS sources | May be closed | | Friday, January 1, 2027 | New Year's Day | Closed | May be closed | _Source: [UPS 2026 Days of Operation](https://assets.ups.com/adobe/assets/urn:aaid:aem:4756cbe3-c3b7-4bfb-a79e-1d285308dc2e/original/as/2026-holiday-operations-schedule-us-en.pdf). Verified on the carrier's website._ The UPS Store locations are independently owned franchises, so retail hours vary by store. On UPS holidays, UPS states that locations "may be closed," so call your local store before heading out to drop off or pick up a package. When standard operations shut down on core holidays, UPS Express Critical remains available for urgent shipments. ## UPS Thanksgiving week 2026 UPS Thanksgiving week 2026 runs normally through Wednesday, closes completely on Thanksgiving Day, and resumes full service on Black Friday. 1. **Wednesday, November 25, 2026:** Normal pickup and delivery for all services. Next Day Air packages picked up today deliver on Friday, November 27. 2nd Day Air packages deliver on Monday, November 30 (except those labeled for Saturday delivery on November 28). 2. **Thursday, November 26, 2026 (Thanksgiving):** Closed for the holiday with no pickup or delivery service. Standard Ground and Air networks are closed, but UPS Express Critical remains available. 3. **Friday, November 27, 2026 (Day after Thanksgiving / Black Friday):** Normal pickup and delivery resumes for all services, and The UPS Store locations are open for regular business. ## UPS Christmas Eve and Christmas week 2026 UPS delivers as usual on Christmas Eve 2026, but pickups shrink to Air and international Air only, and Christmas Day is a full UPS holiday. 1. **Friday, December 18, 2026:** Final deadline to prearrange Christmas Eve Air and international Air pickups. 2. **Monday, December 21, 2026:** Normal pickup and delivery service. This is the last day to ship UPS 3 Day Select for delivery by Thursday, December 24, 2026. 3. **Tuesday, December 22, 2026:** Normal pickup and delivery. Last day to ship UPS 2nd Day Air for delivery by Thursday, December 24, 2026. 3 Day Select packages picked up today deliver Monday, December 28, 2026. 4. **Wednesday, December 23, 2026:** Normal pickup and delivery. Final day to ship UPS Next Day Air for delivery by Thursday, December 24, 2026, using On-Call Pickup, Smart Pickup, scheduled pickup, or drop-off at The UPS Store or an Authorized Service Location. 5. **Thursday, December 24, 2026 (Christmas Eve):** Normal delivery for all services (Air, international Air, UPS Standard, and Ground). Pickup is limited to Air and international Air prearranged by Friday, December 18. **UPS does not pick up Ground packages on Christmas Eve.** Read that twice if you ship Ground. UPS On-Call Pickup remains available for Air and international Air packages. Even Next Day Air picked up today does not deliver until Monday, December 28, 2026. 6. **Friday, December 25, 2026 (Christmas Day):** Closed with no pickup or delivery. UPS Express Critical remains available. 7. **Saturday, December 26, 2026:** Normal pickup and delivery runs only for Air and international Air services. In UPS holiday documentation, "Air and international Air" covers Next Day Air Early, Next Day Air, Next Day Air Saver, 2nd Day Air A.M., 2nd Day Air, Worldwide Express Plus, Worldwide Express, Worldwide Saver, Worldwide Expedited, and Worldwide Express Freight. And UPS notes that schedules and service guarantees are subject to change. ## UPS New Year's Eve and New Year's Day UPS New Year's operations across late December 2026 and early January 2027 include advance pickup booking, a New Year's Day closure, and conflicting guidance on Ground delivery. 1. **Monday, December 28, 2026:** Normal pickup and delivery; last day to prearrange New Year's Eve pickup for Air and international Air services. 2. **Tuesday, December 29, 2026:** Normal pickup and delivery. 3. **Wednesday, December 30, 2026:** Normal pickup and delivery. 4. **Thursday, December 31, 2026 (New Year's Eve):** Pickup is available only for Air and international Air prearranged by Monday, December 28; no Ground pickup runs; UPS On-Call Pickup is accessible for Air and international Air. Next Day Air picked up today delivers Monday, January 4, 2027. UPS sources disagree on delivery: the Days of Operation PDF and website show delivery for Air and international Air only (no Ground delivery). The Year-End Holiday Schedule PDF indicates normal delivery. Do not count on Ground delivery that day, and check tracking on ups.com. 5. **Friday, January 1, 2027 (New Year's Day):** Closed with no pickup or delivery. UPS Express Critical remains available. 6. **Saturday, January 2, 2027:** Normal pickup and delivery runs for Air and international Air only. ## Holidays when UPS stays open (and the Ground Saver catch) UPS stays open on several federal and seasonal holidays in 2026, but economy packages and freight shipments come with a couple of catches. UPS runs normal pickup and delivery on the following dates: - Valentine's Day (Saturday, February 14, 2026) - Presidents' Day (Monday, February 16, 2026) - Good Friday (Friday, April 3, 2026) - Juneteenth (Friday, June 19, 2026) - Independence Day observed (Friday, July 3, 2026) - Indigenous Peoples' Day / Columbus Day (Monday, October 12, 2026) - Veterans Day (Wednesday, November 11, 2026) - Day after Thanksgiving / Black Friday (Friday, November 27, 2026) The catch comes with economy residential services. On Presidents' Day, Indigenous Peoples' Day (Columbus Day), and Veterans Day, packages moving through UPS Ground Saver and UPS Mail Innovations face a +1 business day transit delay due to the Federal (USPS) holiday. But standard UPS Ground and Air networks operate without this transit delay. On Friday, July 3, 2026 (observed Independence Day), UPS Ground, Air, and International pickup and delivery operate normally, and The UPS Store locations stay open. However, UPS Air and Ocean Freight services are closed. If you move palletized or bulk freight, plan around this freight shutdown. ## What happens to UPS packages already in transit on a holiday UPS packages already in transit when a holiday arrives hold in place until operations resume on the next operating day. 1. **Check if the pause matches an operating closure:** Packages already in the UPS network hold and move again on the next UPS operating day, and tracking may show no new scan until then. 2. **Account for evening residential delivery hours:** UPS Ground delivers to homes Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m., and sometimes later during peak season. A package still out for delivery at 7 p.m. is not late yet. 3. **Evaluate tracking scan gaps:** If a parcel shows no movement for multiple business days outside of a holiday pause, see our troubleshooting guide on what to do when [UPS tracking is not updating](https://trackingadvice.com/ups-tracking-is-not-updating/) to determine the cause. 4. **Contact carrier customer support:** If an item fails to move once normal operations resume past the holiday window, check the main [UPS tracking hub](https://trackingadvice.com/carriers/ups/) or follow our guide to [reach a real person at UPS customer service](https://trackingadvice.com/talk-real-person-ups/). You can also verify status through [UPS Tracking Support](https://www.ups.com/us/en/support/tracking-support). ## UPS Express Critical on holidays UPS Express Critical, provided by Marken, runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, so it stays available on every UPS holiday when regular pickup and delivery stop. | Service | Phone | Availability | | ----------------------------- | -------------- | --------------------- | | UPS Express Critical (Marken) | 1-800-714-8779 | 24/7, 365 days a year | _Source: [UPS Holiday Schedule](https://www.ups.com/us/en/support/shipping-support/shipping-services/holiday-shipping-schedule). Verified on the carrier's website._ ## UPS peak demand surcharges for the 2026 season UPS adds demand surcharges during the 2026 peak season, and its current U.S. notice was updated on August 26, 2026. Check the official [UPS Demand Surcharges notice](https://assets.ups.com/adobe/assets/urn:aaid:aem:2c542692-de10-4fa3-b507-3b4f181e0953/original/as/demand-surcharges-us-en.pdf) for the amounts that apply to your account. ## FAQ ### What holidays is UPS closed in 2026? UPS is closed on seven core U.S. holidays in 2026: New Year's Day (January 1), Martin Luther King Jr. Day (January 19), Memorial Day (May 25), Independence Day (July 4), Labor Day (September 7), Thanksgiving (November 26), and Christmas Day (December 25). Regular pickup and delivery also pause on Easter (April 5) and Mother's Day (May 10). UPS Express Critical remains available on those dates. ### What is the last day to ship UPS for Christmas 2026? For delivery by Thursday, December 24, 2026, ship by December 21 for 3 Day Select, December 22 for 2nd Day Air, and December 23 for Next Day Air. UPS Ground cutoff dates vary by lane rather than following a single national deadline. Enter your postal codes into the UPS Calculate Time and Cost tool to find your exact cutoff. ### Does UPS pick up or deliver on Christmas Eve 2026? Yes for delivery, but pickup service is limited. On Thursday, December 24, 2026, UPS delivers all services, including Ground, Standard, and Air. Pickups are restricted to Air and international Air prearranged by Friday, December 18, with no UPS Ground pickups scheduled. ### Does UPS deliver on New Year's Eve 2026? Yes for Air services, but Ground delivery depends on which UPS document you read. The Year-End Holiday Schedule PDF lists normal delivery service for Thursday, December 31, 2026, while the Days of Operation PDF and website state delivery is restricted to Air and international Air only. Check tracking on ups.com rather than assuming Ground packages will arrive. ### Is UPS open the day after Thanksgiving 2026? Yes, UPS runs normal operations on Black Friday. On Friday, November 27, 2026, regular pickup and delivery operate across all service levels. The UPS Store locations are also open for standard retail business. ### Is The UPS Store open on UPS holidays? Not always. The UPS Store locations are independently owned franchises; on UPS holidays, UPS notes that locations may be closed, so check with your local store. UPS lists stores as open on Christmas Eve and the day after Thanksgiving.