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In a year of inflation, expect to pay more for shipping, too. There’s a 2022 postage increase on the way.

The busiest time of the year for the U.S. Postal Service is also becoming the most expensive. USPS just upped the price of stamps back in July, and package rates are getting a temporary hike for the holiday season.

On Aug. 10, USPS announced they plan to charge their customers more money this holiday season. How much more can you expect to pay at the post office?

Here’s what you need to know:

 

Holiday shipping price hikes will take place from Oct. 2 – Jan. 22, 2023.

A self mailing station at a United States Post Office in Orlando, Florida

USPS is trying to keep up with the demand for online shopping during the holiday season, so to offset costs, they’re charging you more for postage.

The changes still have to pass approval by the Postal Regulatory Commission, but based on the past two years, it’ll most likely happen.

With the 2020 and 2021 USPS temporary holiday price hikes, they lasted for two months, ending during the last weekend of December.

This year, it looks like we’re getting an extra month of increases, with an end date of the last week of January.

 

Not only will you pay more at the Post Office, but you’ll probably pay more for online shipping.

a bunch of Target packages on the doorstep of someone's home

USPS customers could pay over $6 more for shipping out their holiday packages this year.

But your packages won’t be the only thing more expensive. Retailers will likely increase the shipping price or raise free shipping thresholds to combat these new costs.

Sellers using the USPS for order fulfillment — Target and Amazon among them — are expected to pass the increases to customers.

 

Five different USPS service types will see a postage price increase during the holidays.

Two USPS Priority Mail boxes sitting on door mat at a front door.

Prices are going up on the following USPS commercial/retail packages:

  • Priority Mail Express: 1 – 2 day expedited, insured shipping
  • Priority Mail:- 1 – 3 day expedited value shipping, under 70 lb
  • First-Class Package Service: Value-priced lightweight package shipping
  • Parcel Select: High-volume bulk-priced delivery service
  • USPS Retail Ground: under 70 lb

 

 

Shipping specific parcels will cost between $0.25 and $6.50 more during the holidays.

A person taking a stack of two boxes off of a front porch.

Specifically, here are the increases that are coming for various shipping zones:

Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express:

Commercial:

  • $0.75 increase for PM and PME Flat Rate Boxes and Envelopes.
  • $0.25 increase for Zones 1 – 4, 0 – 10 lb
  • $0.80 increase for Zones 5 – 9, 0 – 10 lb
  • $0.75 increase for Zones 1 – 4, 11 – 25 lb
  • $2.80 increase for Zones 5 – 9, 11 – 25 lb
  • $3.00 increase for Zones 1 – 4, 26 – 70 lb
  • $6.50 increase for Zones 5 – 9, 26 – 70 lb

Retail:

  • $0.95 increase for PM and PME Flat Rate Boxes and Envelopes.
  • $0.30 increase for Zones 1 – 4, 0 – 10 lb
  • $1.00 increase for Zones 5 – 9, 0 – 10 lb
  • $0.95 increase for Zones 1 – 4, 11 – 25 lb
  • $3.20 increase for Zones 5 – 9, 11 – 25 lb
  • $3.25 increase for Zones 1 – 4, 26 – 70 lb
  • $6.45 increase for Zones 5 – 9, 26 – 70 lb

First-Class Package Service, Parcel Select Ground, and USPS Retail Ground:

Commercial:

  • $0.25 increase for Zones 1 – 4, 0 – 10 lbs.
  • $0.40 increase for Zones 5 – 9, 0 – 10 lbs.
  • $0.75 increase for Zones 1 – 4, 11 – 25 lbs.
  • $1.60 increase for Zones 5 – 9, 11 – 25 lbs.
  • $3.00 increase for Zones 1 – 4, 26 – 70 lbs.
  • $5.50 increase for Zones 5 – 9, 26 – 70 lbs.

Retail:

  • $0.30 increase for Zones 1 – 4, 0 – 10 lbs.
  • $0.60 increase for Zones 5 – 9, 0 – 10 lbs.
  • $0.95 increase for Zones 1 – 4, 11 – 25 lbs.
  • $2.70 increase for Zones 5 – 9, 11 – 25 lbs.
  • $3.25 increase for Zones 1 – 4, 26 – 70 lbs.
  • $5.85 increase for Zones 5 – 9, 26 – 70 lbs.

 

This postage increase will probably happen every October through December.

Mail man reaches out of his truck to deliver mail.

The first of these temporary rate hikes happened back in 2020 on Oct. 18 and lasted until Dec. 27.

In 2021, they happened on Oct. 3 and went through Dec. 26. Since the increase is happening at the same time again this year, it’s safe to say this’ll be a regular thing starting the first week of October.

These recent increases are a part of the 10-year plan called Delivering for America — so, unfortunately, this won’t end anytime soon.

 

UPS and FedEx have longer, more expensive temporary surcharges.

FedEx Express truck in midtown Manhattan.

FedEx is adding an extra $6.55 per package during the Oct. 3 – Jan. 15 peak period as well as $68.75 for oversized packages (among other price hikes). And UPS has been known to have similarly priced surcharges during the holiday season (but as of mid-August hadn’t announced them yet).

 

 

Postage Increase: How Much More Will Shipping Cost?