When tracking a package over the weekend, many people ask: does UPS deliver on Sunday? The short answer is no—UPS does not offer standard Sunday delivery. However, there are a few exceptions, such as UPS Express Critical®, and plenty of alternatives if Sunday shipping is essential for your business.
This guide explains UPS weekend delivery in 2025, including Saturday vs. Sunday service, holiday schedules, and alternatives like FedEx and USPS. You’ll also find clear answers to the most common questions about UPS Sunday delivery.
UPS does not offer regular Sunday delivery for most packages under its standard Ground or Air services. The only exception is UPS Express Critical®, a premium service available 24/7/365, including Sundays and holidays.
Many small ecommerce sellers—like those on Shopify, Etsy, or eBay—often ask about UPS Sunday delivery to keep customers happy and orders on time.
Here’s what you need to know:
The only UPS service available 365 days a year, including Sundays and holidays. It’s reserved for urgent, high-value, or time-sensitive shipments, and costs significantly more than regular shipping.
No Sunday deliveries. If you ship with these services on Friday or Saturday, the earliest arrival will be Monday or later. These are the backbone of UPS shipping, moving millions of packages every day across the U.S. Ground is the reliable budget option, while Air offers faster transit for time-sensitive deliveries.
SurePost was a hybrid service where UPS relied on USPS for final delivery, sometimes including Sundays. But as of 2025, UPS replaced it with Ground Saver, keeping the full journey in-house across the 48 contiguous states. While this speeds things up and avoids USPS handoffs, Sunday service is no longer part of the deal, and shipments can't be sent to P.O. Boxes or APO/FPO addresses.
UPS does deliver on Saturdays, but Sundays are excluded from regular service. This creates confusion when people search: “does UPS deliver on weekends” or “does UPS deliver on Saturday and Sunday”.
● Saturday coverage: UPS Ground, 2nd Day Air®, Next Day Air®, and 3-Day Select® all support Saturday delivery. Some international imports also arrive on Saturdays.
● Sunday coverage: Only Express Critical.
UPS runs on a business day model, meaning Monday through Friday are the standard shipping days. Some services include Saturday delivery, but Sunday is excluded except for Express Critical®. On major holidays, pickups and deliveries are limited or unavailable.
Let's take a closer look at its three main schedules:
Note: Many UPS Stores are open on Saturdays, often from around 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Some locations may also open on Sundays with shorter hours (e.g., 11 a.m.–4 p.m.), but Sunday availability varies widely by location.
If you run your own online store, it's important to know UPS delivery times—what days they ship, whether UPS delivers on Sundays or weekends, and what extra fees might apply. That way, you can plan ahead and keep customers happy.
| UPS Service | Delivery Schedule | Delivery Time | Notes & Fees | Ecommerce Seller Fit | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Days | Saturday | Sunday | Holidays | ||||
| UPS Ground | ✔ Yes | ✔ Residential (free) / Commercial (fee) | ✘ No | ✘ No | 1–5 business days depending on distance |
Free Saturday residential delivery; ~$4 surcharge for Saturday commercial delivery (varies by location) |
Reliable budget option, for cost-sensitive sellers, everyday items (Shopify/Etsy) |
| UPS 2nd Day Air® | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes (label required) | ✘ No | ✘ No | 2 business days |
Saturday delivery available in many regions; small surcharge applies for upgrade. |
Faster option for mid-size sellers, fashion, gifts, seasonal goods |
| UPS Next Day Air® | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes (by request, label required) | ✘ No | ✘ No | Next business day (by 10:30 a.m.–12 p.m. in most areas) |
Saturday upgrade available with additional fee; premium pricing overall. |
High-value or urgent orders like electronics or medical supplies. |
| UPS 3-Day Select® | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes (metro areas) | ✘ No | ✘ No | 3 business days |
Saturday delivery available in select metro regions; modest surcharge for Saturday upgrade. |
Regional sellers balancing speed and cost (lifestyle or home goods). |
| UPS Express Critical® | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes | ✘ Yes(24/7) | ✘ Yes (365 days) | Same day or guaranteed by request (24/7/365) |
Custom-quoted premium rates; fastest but most expensive option. |
Time-critical shipments (e.g., healthcare, industrial parts); rarely used by small sellers. |
Note: Data based on UPS domestic service descriptions as of 2025; availability and fees may vary by region.
Small online shops usually stick with UPS Ground for daily orders. When timing matters—like holiday rush or fragile gifts—they'll switch to 2nd Day Air® or Next Day Air®. Express Critical® is rare but can handle last-minute emergencies.
One more thing, UPS does not deliver on major U.S. holidays; however, limited delivery service may be available during peak shipping dates, such as December 23 or December 31.
With more people shopping online, many customers now hope for weekend delivery. Since UPS doesn't usually deliver on Sundays, businesses that need this option can look at a few other carriers.
Note: Sunday availability is ZIP-based. Always verify the destination ZIP with the carrier's tool before you promise Sunday delivery — check FedEx Rates & Transit Times or USPS Service Commitments
Offers Sunday residential delivery in many areas, typically by 8 p.m., with no extra fee for Sat/Sun under Home Delivery. Coverage reaches nearly two-thirds of the U.S. population on Sundays.
Offers Sunday delivery with Priority Mail Express® in many big-city areas (a Sunday/holiday surcharge applies) and operates seven days a week. USPS also delivers some Amazon packages on Sundays under a separate contract. Check the USPS site for current rates and ZIP-code availability.
For most online sellers, UPS, FedEx, and USPS are the main choices. But when it comes to weekend delivery, they don't all play by the same rules. Each carrier has its own approach to speed, cost, and coverage—so it's worth comparing before you decide who to ship with.
| Carrier | Saturday Delivery | Sunday Delivery | Extra Fees | Typical Delivery Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UPS | Yes (Ground residential; Air services such as 2nd Day Air®, Next Day Air®, 3-Day Select® with Saturday option) | Only via UPS Express Critical® | Ground residential: no extra fee; Ground commercial & Air Saturday options: surcharges may apply; Express Critical is quote-based (premium) | Ground 1–5 business days; Air 1–2 days; Sunday same-day/next-flight only with Express Critical |
| FedEx | Yes (FedEx Ground/Home Delivery and many FedEx Express services) | Yes, via FedEx Home Delivery in many areas | No extra weekend fee for Home Delivery; Express rush options may have surcharges | Home Delivery 1–5 days (residential, typically by evening); Express 1–2-day options available |
| USPS | Yes (Priority Mail®, Priority Mail Express®) | Yes, in many major markets via Priority Mail Express® | Sunday/holiday surcharge applies for Priority Mail Express® (ZIP dependent) | Priority Mail Express® 1–3 days with money-back guarantee; Priority Mail® 2–3 days (estimates) |
The table above highlights the key differences, and here are some carrier-specific tips for online sellers:
Reliable for weekday and Saturday shipping, but Sunday is only possible with costly Express Critical®. Best fit for sellers who don’t need Sunday coverage or only ship urgent, high-value items occasionally.
Strongest Sunday coverage for residential delivery with no extra fee, making it a popular choice for ecommerce shops that want affordable weekend options.
Most affordable Sunday delivery via Priority Mail Express®, often chosen by small businesses shipping lightweight or urgent parcels. Amazon orders also benefit from USPS’s Sunday coverage.
For most ecommerce sellers, FedEx and USPS provide more practical Sunday delivery options, while UPS remains best for Saturday coverage and premium, time-critical shipments. Mixing carriers can give your store the flexibility to meet both cost-sensitive and time-sensitive customer needs.
For online sellers, UPS's "Sunday blind spot" can feel frustrating. Here's how to handle it strategically:
Schedule fulfillment by Friday or early Saturday to maximize weekend coverage.
Give customers the choice of USPS or FedEx for Sunday delivery.
Update your website checkout pages with realistic timelines.
Use a high-quality thermal label printer like the HPRT SL42BT shipping label printer to print hundreds of labels quickly. This ensures your packages are ready to move the moment carriers resume on Monday.
No, UPS Ground only delivers Monday through Saturday.
Only UPS Express Critical runs on Sundays, available 24/7/365.
No. Sundays and major holidays are excluded from standard delivery.
Yes—FedEx, USPS and some local couriers provide some form of Sunday delivery.
Anytime, since the service is on-demand, 24/7.
So, does UPS deliver on Sunday? For most customers, the answer is no—unless you’re paying for Express Critical. Saturday delivery is widely available, but Sunday remains off the table for standard UPS services. If your business relies on weekend shipping, consider alternatives like FedEx or USPS, and prepare your workflow to minimize delays.
