Christmas is just weeks away now, and with some international posting deadlines for guaranteed pre-Christmas delivery already passed, it’s time to start thinking about the last posting dates for the shipping services that you use.
We’ve started to compile a list of all the last posting dates for UK and international destinations, and we’ll be adding to it as more deadlines are announced. Using these dates you’ll be able to decide your last order dates to make sure you don’t disappoint any of your customers, and you can see what services you can use if you do get any last minute emergency orders from desperate Christmas shoppers.
Deadlines for guaranteed Christmas 2016 delivery in the UK
Tuesday 20 December: 2nd Class and Royal Mail Signed For
Wednesday 21 December: 1st Class and Royal Mail Signed For
Thursday 22 December: Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed
Friday 23 December: Special Delivery Saturday Guaranteed
Wednesday 21 December (delivered 23rd): express48, express48large
Thursday 22 December (delivered 23rd): express9, express 10, expressAM, expressPM express24
Thursday 22 December (delivered 24th, +£9): express48, express48large
Friday 23 December (delivered 24th, +£9): express9, express10, expressAM, expressPM, express24
Sunday 18 December: Last day to book next-day courier collection (pick up on 19 December)
Monday 19 December: Last day to drop off parcels at a ParcelShop.
Wednesday 21 December: Delivery to UK and Europe.
Tuesday 20 December: 72 hour
Wednesday 21 December: Two Day Delivery
Thursday 22 December: Next Day Delivery
Last posting dates for Christmas delivery 2016
Find out all the last posting for international and domestic services: Each date is the last day that you can post using that service to those destinations for it to arrive before Christmas.
3 November
Royal Mail international economy: Eastern Europe, Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, Malta and Iceland
11 November
Royal Mail Contract Surface Air Lift: South America. Central America, Caribbean, Africa, Asia, Far East, New Zealand, Australia.
17 November
Royal Mail international economy: Western Europe
18 November
Royal Mail Contract Surface Air Lift: USA, Canada, Middle East
21 November - 12 December
Parcelforce globalvalue: Rest of Europe and Rest of World
2 December - 16 December
Parcelforce globalpriority: Rest of Europe and Rest of World
2 December - 19 December
Parcelforce globalexpress: Rest of Europe and Rest of World
3 December
Royal Mail International Standard, and International Tracking and Signature: Africa, Middle East
7 December
Royal Mail International Standard, and International Tracking and Signature : Cyprus, Asia, Far East (inc. Japan), Eastern Europe (except Poland, Czech Republic and Slovakia)
8 December
Royal Mail International Standard, and International Tracking and Signature: Caribbean, Central & South America.
9 December
Parcelforce globalvalue: USA/Canada
9 December - 15 December
Parcelforce globalvalue: Western Europe
10 December
Royal Mail International Standard, and International Tracking and Signature: Greece, Australia, New Zealand
12 December
MyHermes: Rest of the world (outside Europe)
DPD Direct: Brazil, China.
13 December
DPD Classic: Greece (inc. islands)
DPD Direct: New Zealand, Russia
14 December
Royal Mail International Standard, and International Tracking and Signature: Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Poland
DPD Direct: Australia, Canada, Finland, Kuwait, Singapore, USA.
14 December - 16 December
Parcelforce globalpriority: Western Europe
15 December
Royal Mail International Standard, and International Tracking and Signature: Canada, Finland, Sweden, USA
Parcelforce globalpriority : USA/Canada
MyHermes: Europe
DPD Classic: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria. Croatia, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Romania, Serbia
DPD Direct: Sweden, Austria, Greece, Hong Kong, Japan, Saudi Arabia
16 December
Royal Mail International Standard, and International Tracking and Signature: Austria, Denmark, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland
DPD Classic: Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Sweden.
DPD Direct: Bahrain, Denmark, Egypt, Italy, Lebanon, Malta, Oman, Portugal, Qatar, Spain, UAE
17 December
Royal Mail International Standard, and International Tracking and Signature: Belgium, France, Ireland, Luxembourg
18 December
MyHermes next-day courier collection (for pick up on 19 December): UK
19 December
Parcelforce globalexpress: Western Europe, USA/Canada
MyHermes ParcelShop drop off: UK
DHL Express: Rest of World
DPD Classic: Czech Republic, Italy, Slovakia, Spain
DPD Direct: Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Netherlands, ROI
20 December
Royal Mail 2nd Class and Signed For: UK
DHL Express: USA, Canada and Mexico
Yodel 72 hour: UK
DPD Classic: Austria, Denmark, France (inc. Monaco), Germany, Lichtenstein, Switzerland.
21 December
Parcelforce irelandexpress: Republic of Ireland
Royal Mail 1st Class and Signed For: UK
Parcelforce express48, express 48large: UK
DHL Express: UK, Europe (EU and non-EU)
Yodel Two Day Delivery: UK
DPD Classic: Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands.
22 December
Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed: UK
Parcelforce express9, express10, expressAM, expressPM, express24: UK
Parcelforce express48, express48large (+£9): UK
Yodel Next Day Delivery: UK
23 December
Royal Mail Special Delivery Saturday Guaranteed: UK
Parcelforce express9, express10, expressAM, expressPM, express24 (+£9): UK