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October 31, 2026
FedEx Holiday Schedule 2026: Christmas Deadlines and Closed Days
2026 FedEx holiday schedule: FedEx is closed on Thursday, Nov. 26 (Thanksgiving), Friday, Dec. 25 (Christmas Day) and Friday, Jan. 1, 2027. For arrival by Thursday, Dec. 24, FedEx’s last days to ship are Dec. 21 for Express Saver, Dec. 22 for 2Day, Dec. 23 for overnight services and Dec. 17 to Dec. 23 for FedEx Ground and Home Delivery, depending on transit time.
Quick answer: FedEx does not deliver on Thanksgiving, though FedEx Custom Critical stays open. On Black Friday (Nov. 27) FedEx runs “modified service”: it is open, but some on-call and drop box pickups are earlier and some drop boxes are closed. Christmas Eve is also modified service, with early pickups and modified Ground pickups, and FedEx’s deadlines are built to get packages delivered by Dec. 24. FedEx is closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, and open on Saturday, Dec. 26 and Saturday, Jan. 2.
Sources: FedEx Holiday Schedule & Last Days to Ship, FedEx 2026 Shipping Deadlines (PDF), FedEx 2026 Winter Holiday Service Schedule (PDF) and the FedEx money-back guarantee page, all checked October 30, 2026. FedEx says the dates are subject to change.
FedEx Holiday Schedule for the Rest of 2026
| Date | FedEx (pickup and delivery) | FedEx Office |
|---|---|---|
| Wed., Nov. 11 (Veterans Day) | Modified service: early on-call and drop box pickups in some areas | Open |
| Wed., Nov. 25 | Modified service: early pickups, some drop boxes closed | Modified hours, some close early |
| Thu., Nov. 26 (Thanksgiving) | Closed. All locations and operations unavailable | Closed |
| Fri., Nov. 27 (Black Friday) | Modified service: early pickups, some drop boxes closed | Open |
| Sat., Nov. 28 | Early pickups in some areas | — |
| Wed., Dec. 23 | Open (early pickups in some areas) | Open |
| Thu., Dec. 24 (Christmas Eve) | Modified service: early pickups, drop box closures, modified Ground pickups | Modified hours, some close early |
| Fri., Dec. 25 (Christmas Day) | Closed | Closed |
| Sat., Dec. 26 | Open (early pickups in some areas) | Open |
| Mon., Dec. 28 | Open | Open |
| Thu., Dec. 31 (New Year’s Eve) | Modified service: early pickups, drop box closures, modified Ground pickups | Modified hours, some close early |
| Fri., Jan. 1, 2027 (New Year’s Day) | Closed | Closed |
| Sat., Jan. 2, 2027 | Open (early pickups in some areas) | Open |
FedEx Custom Critical stays open on every holiday, and FedEx SameDay runs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. FedEx’s schedule covers all U.S. and international parcel and express freight services, but not LTL freight.
FedEx Christmas Shipping Deadlines 2026
FedEx’s 2026 deadline chart gives the last day to ship “to help ensure your package is scheduled to arrive by December 24, 2026”:
| Service | Last day to ship for Dec. 24 arrival |
|---|---|
| FedEx SameDay | Thursday, Dec. 24 |
| FedEx First Overnight, Priority Overnight, Standard Overnight (and Extra Hours) | Wednesday, Dec. 23 |
| FedEx 2Day and 2Day A.M. | Tuesday, Dec. 22 |
| FedEx Express Saver | Monday, Dec. 21 |
| FedEx Ground and FedEx Home Delivery | Thursday, Dec. 17 to Wednesday, Dec. 23, by transit time (below) |
| FedEx Ground Economy | Tuesday, Dec. 15 |
| FedEx 1Day / 2Day / 3Day Freight | Wed., Dec. 23 / Tue., Dec. 22 / Mon., Dec. 21 |
FedEx Ground and Home Delivery by transit time
| Ground transit time | Last day to ship |
|---|---|
| 5 business days | Thursday, Dec. 17 |
| 4 business days | Friday, Dec. 18 |
| 3 business days | Monday, Dec. 21 |
| 2 business days | Tuesday, Dec. 22 |
| 1 business day | Wednesday, Dec. 23 |
FedEx says Ground transit is typically 1 to 5 business days in the contiguous U.S. and 3 to 7 to and from Alaska and Hawaii. Check your lane on the FedEx Ground transit map. The Ground dates assume a regular scheduled pickup or a drop-off at a staffed FedEx location, not a drop box.
International deadlines
| Destination | International Priority / First / Next Flight | International Economy |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | Wednesday, Dec. 23 (Priority Distribution: Tue., Dec. 22) | Monday, Dec. 21 |
| Mexico | Tuesday, Dec. 22 | Monday, Dec. 21 |
| Puerto Rico | Wednesday, Dec. 23 | Tuesday, Dec. 22 |
FedEx International Connect Plus to Canada or Mexico must ship by Monday, Dec. 21. FedEx notes the international dates don’t include time for customs clearance. For other countries, FedEx points to its rate and transit tool.
All 2026 FedEx Holidays
| Holiday | Date | FedEx status |
|---|---|---|
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Mon., Jan. 19 | Modified service |
| Presidents’ Day | Mon., Feb. 16 | Modified service |
| Good Friday | Fri., Apr. 3 | Modified service |
| Easter | Sun., Apr. 5 | Closed |
| Memorial Day | Mon., May 25 | Closed |
| Friday before Independence Day | Fri., Jul. 3 | Modified service |
| Independence Day | Sat., Jul. 4 | Closed |
| Labor Day | Mon., Sept. 7 | Closed |
| Columbus Day | Mon., Oct. 12 | Modified service |
| Veterans Day | Wed., Nov. 11 | Modified service |
| Thanksgiving | Thu., Nov. 26 | Closed |
| Christmas Eve | Thu., Dec. 24 | Modified service |
| Christmas Day | Fri., Dec. 25 | Closed |
| New Year’s Eve | Thu., Dec. 31 | Modified service |
| New Year’s Day 2027 | Fri., Jan. 1, 2027 | Closed |
“Modified service” means FedEx is operating, but on-call and drop box pickups may be earlier and some drop boxes are closed. Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Juneteenth and Father’s Day were regular open days. FedEx has not yet published a 2027 schedule, so Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2027 (Monday, Jan. 18, 2027) and later dates are not confirmed.
Holiday Delivery Time Extensions and the Money-Back Guarantee
From Nov. 23, 2026 to Jan. 4, 2027, FedEx extends A.M. delivery commitment times of 12 p.m. or earlier by 90 minutes for First Overnight, Priority Overnight, 2Day A.M., First Overnight and Priority Overnight Extra Hours, First Overnight Freight and 1Day Freight, plus inbound International First, International Priority, International Priority DirectDistribution and International Priority Express. Residential deliveries with a 1:30 p.m. commitment may also be extended by 90 minutes. FedEx notes that printed labels may not show the extended time. (FedEx’s 2026 winter holiday service schedule PDF says air freight commitment times stay unchanged, while its money-back guarantee page lists First Overnight Freight and 1Day Freight as extended, so confirm freight commitments with FedEx.)
The FedEx money-back guarantee currently covers only First Overnight, Priority Overnight, Standard Overnight, 2Day A.M. and the Extra Hours versions domestically, plus certain international Priority services. It is suspended for all other services, including FedEx Ground, Home Delivery, 2Day and Express Saver. During the holiday window, a covered package is late only if it misses the extended time. See our FedEx money-back guarantee guide.
FedEx Demand Surcharges in Effect
FedEx’s U.S. demand surcharges (page updated Oct. 23, 2026) add these per-package charges during peak:
| Charge | Before Nov. 23 | Nov. 23 – Dec. 27 | Dec. 28 – Jan. 17, 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| First, Priority, Standard Overnight (from Oct. 26) | $1.30 | $2.55 | $1.30 |
| 2Day A.M., 2Day, Express Saver (from Oct. 26) | $1.20 | $2.35 | $1.20 |
| Ground Residential and Home Delivery (from Oct. 26) | $0.50 | $0.80 | $0.50 |
| Ground Economy (contract only; from Oct. 26) | $2.55 | $4.05 | $2.55 |
| Demand — Additional Handling (from Sept. 28) | $8.80 | $11.85 | $8.80 |
| Demand — Oversize (from Sept. 28) | $95.75 | $117.25 | $95.75 |
| Demand — Unauthorized (from Sept. 28) | $535 | $595 | $535 |
FedEx One Rate packages are excluded from the Express demand surcharges. Large shippers (more than 20,000 residential and Ground Economy packages in a week) can also pay a weekly Demand — Residential Delivery Charge of $1.70 to $8.00 per Ground package or $3.05 to $9.35 per Express package, based on volume against their June 2026 average. Details are in our FedEx demand surcharge guide.
Saturday Delivery Over the Holidays
FedEx is open on Saturday, Dec. 26 and Saturday, Jan. 2, and says Saturday residential delivery reaches the vast majority of U.S. destinations. Saturday delivery on Express shipments carries its own fee; see FedEx Saturday delivery and pickup fees.
What to Check on Your Holiday Invoices
- Demand surcharge amounts by ship date. The jump on Nov. 23 and the drop on Dec. 28 should line up with your ship dates.
- Late overnight packages. If an overnight or 2Day A.M. package missed even the extended commitment time, it may qualify for a refund.
- Express shipments that didn’t need to be Express. For lanes with 3-day Ground transit or less, the FedEx Ground cutoff (Dec. 21 to Dec. 23) is the same as or later than the Express Saver cutoff (Dec. 21).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does FedEx deliver on Thanksgiving 2026?
No. FedEx is closed on Thursday, Nov. 26, 2026, and FedEx Office is closed too. FedEx Custom Critical stays open, and FedEx SameDay runs 365 days a year.
Does FedEx deliver on Black Friday?
Yes. Friday, Nov. 27, 2026 is a modified service day: FedEx operates, but some on-call and drop box pickups are earlier and some drop boxes are closed. FedEx Office is open.
Does FedEx deliver on Christmas Eve 2026?
Yes. Thursday, Dec. 24 is a modified service day, with early pickups, some drop box closures and modified Ground pickups. FedEx’s holiday deadlines are set so packages are scheduled to arrive by Dec. 24.
Does FedEx deliver on Christmas Day?
No. FedEx and FedEx Office are closed on Friday, Dec. 25, 2026. FedEx Custom Critical and FedEx SameDay still operate.
What is the FedEx Christmas shipping deadline for 2026?
For arrival by Dec. 24: Ground Economy by Dec. 15, Express Saver by Dec. 21, 2Day by Dec. 22, overnight services by Dec. 23 and SameDay on Dec. 24. FedEx Ground and Home Delivery run from Dec. 17 (5-day transit) to Dec. 23 (1-day transit).
Is FedEx open on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day?
FedEx runs modified service on Thursday, Dec. 31 and is closed on Friday, Jan. 1, 2027. It reopens Saturday, Jan. 2.
Is FedEx open on Martin Luther King Jr. Day?
In 2026 FedEx ran modified service on MLK Day (Jan. 19), not a full closure. FedEx has not yet published its 2027 schedule.
Are FedEx delivery times extended during the holidays?
Yes. From Nov. 23, 2026 to Jan. 4, 2027, A.M. commitment times of 12 p.m. or earlier move 90 minutes later for First Overnight, Priority Overnight, 2Day A.M. and several other time-definite services.
Related Reading
- UPS Holiday Schedule 2026: Christmas Deadlines and Closed Days
- USPS Holiday Schedule 2026: Closed Days and Christmas Deadlines
- Holiday Shipping Deadlines 2026: USPS, UPS and FedEx Compared
- FedEx Demand Surcharges 2026: Peak Season Fees, Dates and Amounts
- FedEx Saturday Delivery and Pickup Fees 2026: $16 Per Package and Other Weekend Charges
- FedEx Money-Back Guarantee 2026: Covered Services and How to Claim
Get a free shipping invoice audit
Peak season adds demand surcharges, Saturday fees and late Express shipments that may qualify for refunds. D’arrigo Consulting audits FedEx and UPS invoices line by line. Request a free invoice audit to see what you can recover.
This article is for informational purposes only. Carrier rates, surcharges, and policies change frequently — always verify current terms directly with the carrier for your specific situation. Have questions? Reach out to us — we're happy to help.
Meet the Author
paul@darrigoconsulting.com
I’m Paul D’Arrigo. I’ve spent my career building, fixing, and scaling operations across eCommerce, fulfillment, logistics, and SaaS businesses, from early-stage companies to multi-million-dollar operators. I’ve been on both sides of growth: as a founder, an operator, and a fractional COO brought in when things get complex and execution starts to break
