SAN ANTONIO – Thursday is the deadline for shipping packages using the U.S. Postal Service's cheapest option in order for them to arrive by Christmas.
You can still ship items after this week, but beginning Monday, the cost of expedited shipping will be higher, whether you use USPS or private shipping companies,
About 2,700 postal workers are working in San Antonio this holiday season.
The Mail Processing Operations at the San Antonio Priority Mail Annex plan to sort nearly 900,000 pieces of mail and 250,000 packages on Monday alone, which is expected to be the busiest day of the year.
"I tell you what, the employees are all wrapped up. You know, we got some of the best employees around. They do a great job, they want to do a great job for you because this is our time of the year. And they realize that we got to deliver for our customers," said USPS senior plant manager Dennis Stasa.
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Post offices also offer self-serve kiosks where customers can ship packages themselves. Officials recommend that mailers have the address and zip code already written on the packages, and make sure they are neatly wrapped to save time.
At the main post office on Perrin Beitel Road on Thursday morning, many people knew they were cutting the deadline close.
"Hopefully it gets there in time," said Alicia Franklin, who shipped a present to a client in California. "It's going to be bad. It's going be very bad (if it doesn't arrive in time.)
"I haven't done cards yet, hahaha," said Anne Solis as she sent packages all over the US, including to Alaska. "I kind of have a theory. If people get their boxes and their cards after Christmas, it's far more fun than bills."
Here are several USPS shipping deadlines to keep in mind:
- Dec. 14 for Standard Post
- Dec. 19 for First Class Mail
- Dec. 20 for Priority Mail
- Dec. 22 for Priority Mail Express
Here are additional deadlines for other delivery companies:
FedEx
- December 11 - FedEx Smartpost
- December 15 - FedEx Ground
- December 18 - FedEx Home Delivery
- December 19 - FedEx Express Saver
- December 20 - FedEx 2-Day and 2-Day a.m.
- December 21 - FedEx Standard Overnight
- December 22 - FedEx First Overnight and FedEx Priority Overnight (Select Markets)
- December 24 and 25 - FedEx SameDay and SameDay City (Priority & Standard) (Select Markets)
UPS
- December 18 - UPS 3 Day Select
- December 20 - UPS 2nd Day Air
- December 21 - UPS Next Day Air and UPS 2nd Day Air (Saturday Option)
- December 22 - UPS Next Day Air (Saturday Option)