October 30, 2026

USPS Overnight Shipping Cost 2026: Priority Mail Express Prices

2026 USPS price: Priority Mail Express, the Postal Service’s overnight service, costs $38.25 at the Post Office for a Flat Rate Envelope ($33.46 at commercial prices), and package prices start at $37.05 retail for a half pound, under temporary prices in effect until January 17, 2027.

2027 update: These are USPS’s temporary holiday prices, in effect from October 4, 2026 until 12 a.m. Central Time on January 17, 2027. As of October 30, 2026, the only price change posted on USPS’s Postal Explorer price change page is this time-limited one, so USPS has not published Priority Mail Express prices for after January 17. Check Notice 123 before you mail in 2027.

Quick answer: To overnight a letter with USPS, use a Priority Mail Express Flat Rate Envelope: $38.25 at a Post Office counter or $33.46 at commercial prices, to any address in the U.S. Packages are priced by weight and zone, from $37.05 (half a pound, Zone 1) to $888.95 (70 lbs, Zone 9) at retail. USPS delivers Priority Mail Express in 1, 2 or 3 days by 6 p.m., so it is overnight on many routes but not all. Sunday or holiday delivery adds $12.50.

Prices: USPS Notice 123 Price List, effective October 4, 2026 (temporary prices announced in the USPS news release of August 25, 2026). Service rules: DMM 113, DMM 503 (included insurance) and DMM 604.9.5 (refunds). Checked October 30, 2026.

How Much Does It Cost to Overnight a Letter With USPS?

For documents, the Priority Mail Express Flat Rate Envelope is the simplest price. It costs the same to every domestic zone, whatever the contents weigh, as long as they fit in the USPS-produced envelope.

Envelope	Size	Retail (Post Office)	Commercial
Flat Rate Envelope	12-1/2" x 9-1/2"	$38.25	$33.46
Legal Flat Rate Envelope	15" x 9-1/2"	$38.55	$33.78
Padded Flat Rate Envelope	12-1/2" x 9-1/2"	$39.25	$34.05

Notice 123 lists flat rate prices for Priority Mail Express envelopes only. The Flat Rate Boxes belong to Priority Mail, the slower service, where the regular Flat Rate Envelope is $13.90 at retail. A legal-size document costs $0.30 more in the Legal envelope than a letter-size one in the standard envelope.

Priority Mail Express Package Prices by Weight and Zone

Anything that is not in a Flat Rate Envelope is priced by weight and zone. USPS assigns the zone, from 1 to 9, from the origin and destination ZIP Codes. Prices run up to 70 lbs. These are the retail prices you pay at a Post Office counter:

Weight not over	Zone 1	Zone 2	Zone 4	Zone 6	Zone 8	Zone 9
1/2 lb	$37.05	$37.30	$39.95	$49.10	$55.70	$72.70
1 lb	$37.30	$37.75	$44.85	$58.10	$65.15	$86.05
2 lb	$37.65	$38.95	$50.50	$67.45	$74.80	$99.00
5 lb	$40.25	$43.50	$68.30	$99.70	$107.80	$142.00
10 lb	$59.30	$64.00	$104.40	$142.70	$155.55	$206.30
20 lb	$89.25	$101.15	$164.25	$201.75	$220.25	$291.70
70 lb	$263.70	$310.45	$519.55	$611.60	$665.15	$888.95

Commercial prices

Notice 123 also lists commercial prices for Priority Mail Express, which are lower at every weight and zone:

Weight not over	Zone 1	Zone 2	Zone 4	Zone 6	Zone 8	Zone 9
1/2 lb	$32.51	$32.51	$35.59	$43.34	$49.98	$65.80
1 lb	$32.99	$33.53	$40.45	$51.12	$58.14	$76.77
2 lb	$33.43	$34.61	$45.31	$58.89	$66.29	$87.67
5 lb	$35.58	$38.50	$60.64	$85.37	$93.90	$123.60
10 lb	$51.68	$55.78	$92.99	$122.84	$136.23	$180.24
20 lb	$80.50	$91.30	$150.70	$181.79	$201.83	$267.06
70 lb	$242.22	$286.01	$478.36	$550.10	$607.94	$809.63

The difference is larger on heavier packages going farther. It is $4.79 on a Flat Rate Envelope, $7.01 on a 1 lb package to Zone 8, and $19.32 on a 10 lb package to Zone 8.

What the Temporary Holiday Increase Added

USPS raised Priority Mail Express prices temporarily from October 4, 2026 until January 17, 2027. The prices above already include these increases:

Priority Mail Express	Retail increase	Commercial increase
Flat Rate Envelopes	$2.35	$2.35
0–3 lbs, Zones 1–4 / Zones 5–9	$1.40 / $2.35	$1.40 / $2.35
4–10 lbs, Zones 1–4 / Zones 5–9	$2.45 / $6.30	$2.10 / $5.55
11–25 lbs, Zones 1–4 / Zones 5–9	$5.05 / $11.70	$4.90 / $10.50
26–70 lbs, Zones 1–4 / Zones 5–9	$12.70 / $20.80	$12.55 / $18.20

For the holiday change across all USPS shipping products, see our USPS peak season guide.

Is USPS Priority Mail Express Really Overnight?

Not on every route. DMM 113 says Priority Mail Express offers delivery in 1, 2 or 3 delivery days, depending on when USPS accepts the item and on the origin and destination ZIP Codes. Items are delivered by 6 p.m. on the scheduled day. If you mail after the Post Office’s acceptance time, the item is treated as mailed on the next day the office is open. Check the delivery date USPS gives you for your ZIP Code pair when you buy postage if next-day delivery matters.

Sunday and Holiday Delivery

Sunday or holiday delivery adds $12.50 to the price, at both retail and commercial prices. A Flat Rate Envelope with Sunday delivery is $50.75 at retail.

The Money-Back Guarantee

Priority Mail Express is the USPS service sold with a money-back guarantee. Under DMM 604.9.5, USPS refunds the postage and the Sunday or holiday premium fee if the item is not delivered, delivery is not attempted, or it is not made available for pickup by the delivery date and time given at mailing. Only the sender can claim the refund. There are exclusions, including:

delays caused by an incorrect ZIP Code or address;
1-Day items mailed December 22 through December 25 that are delivered or attempted within 2 business days;
refunds other than for loss on items to or from Alaska or Hawaii.

For deadlines and how to file, see our Priority Mail Express refund guide.

Extra Charges That Can Apply

Dimensional weight: parcels over 1 cubic foot (1,728 cubic inches) are charged on the greater of actual or dimensional weight. For a rectangular parcel, multiply length x width x height and divide by 139, rounding up. See our USPS dimensional weight guide.
Long or large parcels: $4.50 over 22 inches up to 30 inches long, $21.00 over 30 inches, and $35.00 over 2 cubic feet (3,456 cubic inches). See USPS nonstandard fees.
Special contents: $4.50 for tubes, rolls, cans, and wooden or metal boxes.
Live animals, perishables or hazmat: $7.50 handling fee.

What Is Included in the Price

$100 of insurance. DMM 503 says Priority Mail Express includes $100.00 of insurance coverage. For more, see our USPS insurance guide.
Proof of mailing. You get a receipt showing the date and time of mailing.
Signature record. A delivery record including the recipient’s signature is available on request.

How to Pay Less for USPS Overnight Shipping

Use commercial prices when you can. The commercial Flat Rate Envelope is $4.79 less than the counter price.
Use the Flat Rate Envelope for documents, especially to distant zones. A 1 lb package to Zone 8 costs $65.15 at retail, against $38.25 for the envelope.
Skip Sunday or holiday delivery unless the date requires it. It saves $12.50.
Check the delivery commitment first. If your route is a two- or three-day commitment anyway, compare other services. Our USPS vs UPS vs FedEx overnight comparison puts the carriers side by side.
Claim late deliveries. A missed commitment can mean a refund of the postage.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does USPS overnight shipping cost in 2026?

Priority Mail Express, USPS’s overnight service, costs $38.25 for a Flat Rate Envelope at the Post Office or $33.46 at commercial prices. Packages start at $37.05 retail for a half pound to Zone 1. These temporary prices run until January 17, 2027.

How much does it cost to overnight a letter with USPS?

A Priority Mail Express Flat Rate Envelope is $38.25 at a Post Office counter, $38.55 for the Legal size and $39.25 for the Padded envelope. USPS commits to 1, 2 or 3 delivery days depending on the route.

Does USPS Priority Mail Express deliver the next day?

On many routes, but not all. USPS delivers Priority Mail Express in 1, 2 or 3 delivery days by 6 p.m., depending on when it is accepted and on the origin and destination ZIP Codes.

How much does Priority Mail Express cost for a 1 lb package?

At retail, $37.30 to Zone 1 up to $86.05 to Zone 9. At commercial prices, $32.99 to $76.77.

How much is Sunday delivery for Priority Mail Express?

USPS adds $12.50 for Sunday or holiday delivery, at both retail and commercial prices. If the guarantee is missed, the refund covers the postage and this fee.

Is insurance included with Priority Mail Express?

Yes. DMM 503 says Priority Mail Express includes $100.00 of insurance coverage. Higher values need additional insurance.

Get a free shipping invoice audit

If you ship overnight with USPS alongside UPS or FedEx, we review your carrier invoices for charges and late deliveries you could recover. Request a free invoice audit.

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

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