free html hit counter USPS confirms 2026 update to cost of letters, postcards, and packages for first time in over 20 years – My Blog

USPS confirms 2026 update to cost of letters, postcards, and packages for first time in over 20 years

UNITED States Postal Service (USPS) has confirmed an update to the cost of letters, postcards and packages set to come into force next year.

For more than two decades the US Postal Service has increased the price of postal items at least once a year.

United States Postal Service sign on a brick building.
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United States Postal Service (USPS) has confirmed an update to the cost of letters[/caption]

Next year, however, is set to look a little different as the organisation confirmed there will be no price hike.

The decision comes after Postmaster General David Steiner pushed to keep costs affordable for customers.

He said in a statement: “We continually strive to balance our pricing approach both to meet the revenue needs of the Postal Service and to deliver affordable offerings that reflect market conditions.

“We have therefore decided at this time to forgo a price change for First-Class Mail postage and other Market Dominant services until mid-year 2026.”

The price freeze will only affect “Market Dominant products”, which include First-Class Mail and other core mailing services.

Customers using other express mail services, however, will see price changes.

These services include Priority Mail Express (PME), Priority Mail (PM), USPS Ground Advantage, and Parcel Select.

The changes will go into effect on October 5 and remain in place until midnight Central on January 18, 2026.

USPS has insisted, however, that this is a temporary price adjustment that is going into force to help cover extra handling costs ahead of Christmas.

The USPS revealed it took an average of 2.5 days to deliver packages and mail during the 2022 holiday season. 


If shipping with USPS Ground Advantage service or First-Class Mail to the lower 48 states, your package must be shipped by December 17 to arrive by Christmas. 

Priority Mail has a cut-off date of December 18 and Priority Mail Express should be mailed out no later than December 20. 

For HawaiiAlaska, Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories, USPS ground service has a deadline of December 16. 

Similarly, First-Class mail to those areas should be mailed by December 17 and Priority Mail Express by December 20. 

Planned price changes

These are the planned price changes going into effect:

Priority Mail and USPS Ground AdvantageZone 1-4

  • $0.40 cents increase for Zones 1-4, 0-3 lbs.
  • $0.60 cents increase for Zones 1-4, 4-10 lbs.
  • $0.95 cents increase for Zones 1-4, 11-25 lbs.
  • $3.00 increase for Zones 1-4, 26-70 lbs and Oversized.

Priority Mail Zone 5-9

  • $0.90 cents increase for Zones 5-9, 0-3 lbs.
  • $1.45 cents increase for Zones 5-9, 4-10 lbs.
  • $3.25 increase for Zones 5-9, 11-25 lbs.
  • $7.00 increase for Zones 5-9, 26-70 lbs.

Priority Mail Flat Rate

  • $1.45 for Large Flat Rate Boxes.
  • $0.90 for all other Flat Rate Products.

USPS Ground Advantage Zone 5-9

  • $0.50 cents increase for Zones 5-9, 0-3 lbs.
  • $1.00 cents increase for Zones 5-9, 4-10 lbs.
  • $2.00 increase for Zones 5-9, 11-25 lbs.
  • $5.75 increase for Zones 5-9, 26-70 lbs and Oversized.

Priority Mail Express

  • $1.10 increase for Zones 1-4, 0-3 lbs.
  • $2.00 increase for Zones 5-9, 0-3 lbs.
  • $2.00 increase for Zones 1-4, 4-10 lbs.
  • $4.85 increase for Zones 5-9, 4-10 lbs.
  • $3.90 increase for Zones 1-4, 11-25 lbs.
  • $9.00 increase for Zones 5-9, 11-25 lbs.
  • $9.75 increase for Zones 1-4, 26-70 lbs.
  • $16.00 increase for Zones 5-9, 26-70 lbs.

Priority Mail Express Flat Rate

  • $2.00 increase for Flat Rate Envelopes.

USPS added that December 18 is the deadline for Priority Mail to Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories. 

Consumers looking to save on shipping costs should consider using Ground Advantage with prices starting at $6.80. The longer you wait, the more necessary it may be to use Priority Mail Express which has prices from $31.40.

The Postal Service also revealed the deadlines for sending mail internationally.

Shipping to CanadaEuropeAsia, Africa, AustraliaNew Zealand and the Caribbean have cut off dates of December 9. 

The absolute latest a package can be shipped to these locations is December 16 with the Priority Mail Express International Service.  

Mailing to Central and South America with First-Class Package International Service and Priority Mail International Service faces an earlier deadline of December 2. 

Central and South America also have a December 16 cut-off for Priority Mail Express International Service.  

The 2025 shipping dates for military mail were also shared. If using USPS Ground Advantage, packages should be shipped out no later than November 4. First-Class and Priority Mail deadlines are December 9 and Priority Mail Express has a cut-off of December 16. 

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