First things first, the good news: You’re unlikely to encounter the same shipping delays due to the pandemic and supply chain issues we experienced in the last few years.
However, stores still have strict deadlines for holiday shipping — and they’re approaching, fast. This year, Christmas Eve (Dec. 24), the last day major carriers offer service, falls on a Tuesday. To help you get your holiday gifts under the tree in time, we’ve created a guide to shipping deadlines and free shipping for the 2024 holiday season.
Note that there may be some variation — a retailer may have different deadlines for bulky or customized items, for example. We’ve also seen retailers increasingly offer item-by-item shipping dates, rather than uniform shipping cutoffs as Dec. 25 creeps closer. That means you might not see specific delivery date estimates until after you add items to your cart.
Did you miss the deadlines below? There’s still hope. Many retailers offer same-day delivery for an extra fee.
How Long is Standard Shipping?
In general, standard shipping can take anywhere between three to seven business days. However, that does NOT include processing time (the time it takes a retailer to pull your item, box it up and send it off).
In other words, don’t expect a standard shipping order placed five days before Dec. 24 to arrive on time. Retailers need a little lead time (often a day or two, best-case scenario) to prepare your order for shipping.
What is Expedited Shipping?
Expedited shipping generally refers to options faster than standard. Depending on the retailer and shipping company, this could refer to express, overnight or two-day options. Expect to pay an extra fee for expedited shipping.
Store Shipping Deadlines 2024
Note: These deadlines apply to the contiguous United States only.
We’ll be updating this list as more retailers announce their shipping deadlines. In past years, we’ve seen retailers push back their original deadlines to give shoppers more time — so stay tuned.
| Retailer | Standard Shipping | Expedited Options (Fees May Apply) |
| Academy Sports + Outdoors | View estimated delivery date in cart. | View estimated delivery date in cart. |
| Amazon | Varies by product. Check the delivery date on your order. | Order by Dec. 24 for same-day delivery (available on select items). |
| American Girl | Dec. 12 for Standard. Dec. 2 for create-your-own-doll services. | Dec. 19 for expedited. |
| Barnes and Noble | Dec. 17 at noon EST for Standard. | Dec. 18 for express; Dec. 19 for expedited; Dec. 24 at noon local time for in-store-pickup. |
| Bass Pro Shops | Not confirmed. Last year’s dates were Dec. 14 for free shipping; Dec. 15 for standard. | Dec. 20 for 2-Day (by 4 p.m.); Dec. 21 for overnight (by 4 p.m.) |
| Bath & Body Works | Not confirmed. Last year’s dates were Dec. 16 for standard. | Store pickup and Instacart delivery is available on Dec. 24. Order by 9 a.m. ET for same-day store pickup on Dec. 24. |
| Bed Bath & Beyond | Dec. 17 at 11:59 a.m. ET for ground. | Dec. 22 at 11:59 a.m. EST for expedited; Dec. 23 at 10:59 a.m. EST for express. |
| Belk | Dec. 16 for ground. | Dec. 19 for 2nd-day air; Dec. 20 for overnight. |
| Best Buy | See estimated arrival date for each product at checkout. | See estimated arrival date for each product at checkout. Same-day pickup available through Dec. 24. |
| Cabela’s | Not confirmed. Last year’s dates were Dec. 14 for free shipping. Dec. 15 for Standard. | Dec. 20 at 4 p.m. for two-day; Dec. 21 at 4 p.m. for overnight. |
| Dell | Dec. 19 at 2 p.m. CST for standard. | Dec. 20 for express. Dec. 21 for expedited. |
| Dick’s Sporting Goods | Dec. 19 at 12 a.m. PST for standard. | Dec. 20 for expedited; Dec. 21 for express. |
| Dillard’s | Dec. 18 at 11:59 p.m. CST. | Not guaranteed. |
| Disney Store | Dec. 18 for standard. | Express options not available for holidays. |
| Harry & David | Dec. 19 for standard. | Dec. 20 for 2-Day express; Dec. 23 for overnight |
| H&M | Dec. 13. | Not guaranteed. |
| Home Depot | View estimated delivery date in cart. | View estimated delivery date in cart. |
| JCPenney | Varies depending on the item. | Dec. 23 at 11:59 p.m. for Next Day shipping. Order Dec. 24 for same-day pickup. |
| JOANN | Dec. 10 for standard. | For same-day pickup, order before 3 p.m. |
| Kohl’s | Christmas delivery is not guaranteed with standard shipping. | Dec. 20 at 1 p.m. CST for 2-day; Dec. 23 by 1 p.m. CST for 1-Day. Order by 1 p.m. (and pick up by 6 p.m.) for same-day pickup on Dec. 24. |
| LEGO | Dec. 18 at 12 p.m. EST for standard | Dec. 22 for express |
| L.L. Bean | Dec. 20 at 11:59 p.m. EST for free shipping (with $75 purchase); Dec. 3 if monogrammed. | Dec. 22 for express |
| Lowe’s | Varies by product. Check the delivery date on your order. | Order by 2 p.m. Dec. 24 for same-day delivery. |
| Macy’s | Dec. 21 at 5 p.m. EST for standard (free with qualifying purchase) within the continental U.S. | Dec. 21 for premium. Dec. 22 for express. Dec. 24 for same-day delivery (in select areas) and store pickup (order by 3 p.m. local time). |
| Michaels | Dec. 13 at 11:59 p.m. CT for Standard. | Dec. 20 by 11 a.m. CT for 2nd-Day |
| Minted | Dec. 14 for photo gifts. Various items like cards and stationery have different deadlines. | Dec. 17 for priority gifts; Dec. 16 for select expedited gifts; Dec. 18 for select rush gifts. |
| Petco | Dec. 17. | Not guaranteed. |
| PetSmart | Varies by product. Check the delivery date on your order. | Varies by product. Check the delivery date on your order. |
| Pottery Barn | Dec. 19 at 6 a.m. PST for standard. Dec. 18 at 10 p.m. PST for monogramming. | Dec. 22 for next-day. |
| REI | Dec. 20 at 9 a.m. PST for standard. | Dec. 24 for same-day, in-store pickup. |
| Sam’s Club | Dec. 12 for ground. | Dec. 24 at 1 p.m. local time for same-day. |
| Samsung | Dec. 15 at 11:59 p.m. EST | Dec. 24 for same-day, in-store pickup. |
| Sephora | Dec. 20 at 6 a.m. ET for Standard. | Dec. 20 at 9 a.m. EST for 2-day shipping; Dec. 23 at 9 a.m. EST for 1-Day shipping; Dec. 24 at 4 p.m. local time for store pickup. |
| Shutterfly | Dec. 16 for Economy. | Dec. 17 for expedited; Dec. 19 for rush; Dec. 20 for super rush. |
| Snapfish | Dec. 16 for lowest-price shipping; Dec. 16 for ground. Check estimated delivery date in cart for most accurate prediction. | Dec. 17 for expedited; Dec. 18 for rush. |
| Target | Not confirmed. Last year’s dates were Dec. 20 at noon CST for free 2-day shipping on orders over $35. | Same-day delivery available Dec. 24. In-store and curbside pickup are available for orders placed on Dec. 24. |
| UGG | Varies by product. Check the delivery date on your order. | Varies by product. Check the delivery date on your order. |
| Ulta | Dec. 18 by 11:59 p.m. CT for standard. | Dec. 20 at 11:59 p.m. CT for expedited; Dec. 22 at 11:59 p.m. CT for premium. Store pickup is available for orders placed by 3 p.m. local time on Dec. 24; same-day delivery is available for orders placed by 11 a.m. local time on Dec. 24. |
| Walmart | Varies by product. Check the delivery date on your order. | Check the delivery estimate for each item at checkout. Same-day delivery and pickup available. |
| World Market | Dec. 16 at 11:59 p.m. PST for ground. | Dec. 19 for 2nd-Day; Dec. 22 for overnight. |
Carrier Shipping Deadlines
Shipping a gift yourself? Make sure you’ve marked your calendar with shipping deadlines for FedEx, USPS and UPS.
FedEx Holiday Shipping Deadlines
Here are your deadlines for the most common shipping services within the contiguous U.S. See FedEx’s full list of deadlines for the 2024 season.
- Dec. 17: FedEx Ground (five-day) deadline.
- Dec. 19: FedEx Express Saver
- Dec. 24: FedEx SameDay
UPS Holiday Shipping Deadlines
See all of UPS’s shipping deadlines for the 2024 holiday season.
- Ground: UPS isn’t providing a cutoff for ground shipping — you’ll need to get an estimate via UPS’s website. The estimate will vary depending on where you are and where you’re shipping to.
- Dec. 19: UPS 3 Day Select.
- Dec. 20: UPS 2nd Day Air.
- Dec. 23: UPS Next Day Air.
USPS Holiday Shipping Deadlines
See the full list of the U.S. Postal Service’s holiday shipping deadlines for 2024.
- Dec. 18: USPS Ground.
- Dec. 18: First-Class Mail.
- Dec. 19: Priority Mail.
Buy Online, Pick Up in Store Options
If you’re shopping last minute, but don’t want to brave the cold weather to shop inside a store, store pickup is a great option. These days, most major retailers offer in-store and curbside pickup options.
Each store will have its own policies. Generally speaking, however, here’s the way it works: You purchase a product from a store’s site, wait for the retailer to let you know when your item is ready and pick it up. Many retailers offer these services same-day, though most will have daily cutoffs. So if you’re shopping at the last minute, make sure it’s not too late to pick up your order before Dec. 25.
The key here is whether or not your item is in stock. If it is, you can generally pick it up a lot sooner — sometimes within hours. Many stores do offer ship-to-store, but this process can take days.
These are just some of the major retailers offering store-pickup options in 2024:
• Apple
• Barnes & Noble
• Bed Bath & Beyond
• Best Buy
• Bloomingdale’s
• CVS
• Dick’s Sporting Goods
• DSW
• Gap
• GameStop
• Home Depot
• JCPenney
• Kohl’s
• Lowe’s
• Macy’s
• Nordstrom
• Office Depot
• PetSmart
• Sam’s Club
• Staples
• Target
• Urban Outfitters
• Walgreens
• Walmart
• World Market
Can’t pick up your order yourself? Most stores let you designate a pickup person who can retrieve your items for you.
Faster Shipping Options
A few stores offer expedited shipping options to their loyalty members — and some offer these perks to everyone who places an order over a certain amount.
Amazon: Amazon Prime ($139 membership fee per year or $14.99 a month) offers free two-day shipping, as well as same-day delivery in eligible cities if you order by 5 p.m.
ASOS: Sign up for Premier Delivery for $19.99 a year and get unlimited next-day delivery when you spend at least $50 on your order. Plus, get free express shipping, no minimum.
Best Buy: Best Buy offers free soon-as-next-day shipping on thousands of items if you place a $35 minimum order (that order minimum is waived for members). Same-day delivery is also available in some ZIP codes.
Home Depot: You can get free two-day shipping on thousands of home improvement items and free in-store pickup.
ShopRunner: Sign up to ShopRunner for $79 a year and get one year of two-day shipping free and free returns from thousands of brands. American Express, Mastercard and PayPal members get access to ShopRunner for free.
Target: Target Circle members receive free two-day shipping on Target.com when placing orders over $35. If you have the Target RedCard, you get free two-day shipping with no minimum. Need your order even sooner? Subscribe to Shipt for $99 a year and get free same-day delivery on Target groceries and thousands of other essentials.
Walmart: Walmart, which already offered free two-day shipping in the U.S. on purchases of at least $35, is now offering free next-day delivery on eligible online orders over $35 from both third-party sellers and the retail giant itself. No membership fee is required.
Even better, Walmart+ members get free next-day or two-day shipping on all orders outside of fresh groceries for NO minimum. They also get free same-day delivery with a $35 order minimum. Membership costs $12.95 per month or $98 per year.
Zappos: Regular customers get free two-day shipping, but become a VIP member and you can get free expedited shipping, earn points and enjoy fast refunds. Plus, link your Amazon Prime account and get an extra 1 point for every $1 you spend.
Same-Day Delivery
Various retailers offer same-day delivery, either as part of their own memberships or by partnering with delivery services such as Instacart.
Fees for this service vary from retailer to retailer. Here are some examples to learn more about same-day delivery.
Amazon
Cost: Non-Prime members pay $9.99 per order for same-day delivery in as little as five hours. Prime members get it for free on orders more than $25 (otherwise they pay $2.99 per order). Note: Same-day delivery is NOT available on Christmas Day.
Order by: Noon.
Click for a list of eligible Amazon same-day delivery cities.
Bloomingdale’s
Cost: $20 plus standard shipping prices for qualifying items in select cities. Loyalist members get free shipping, so they pay just the $20 fee.
Order by: 12 p.m. If you order later than that, your order will arrive the next day.
Instacart
Cost: The cost varies by which store you order from and what you purchase.
Order by: You’ll choose a delivery time slot when you order. Availability of same-day time slot varies, based on demand.
Macy’s
Cost: $15 for items that qualify for orders of $25 or more. $25.95 on other items. See details.
Order by: 12 p.m. local time. For on-time Christmas delivery, you must order by Dec. 24 at 10 a.m. local time.
Postmates
Cost: You can order almost anything for different prices. Recently, they announced a partnership with MAC Cosmetics to deliver their beauty products in only two hours.
Order by: Anytime; you’ll pick a delivery slot based on what’s available that day.
Target
Cost: Target Circle 360 members have free same-day delivery on orders of $35 or more. For orders under $35, pay $7 per order. Membership costs $99 a year. Non-members pay $9.99 per same-day delivery on orders over $35.
Order by: During store hours (varies by location).
Sephora
Cost: $6.95. And there’s no minimum order amount.
Order by: 4 p.m. via Sephora’s site or app. See details.
Walmart
Cost: $7.95-$9.95 delivery fee for same-day orders of $35+. You can also pay an extra $10 on top of that for Walmart Express delivery and get your order in under two hours. Walmart+ members get free same-day delivery on orders of $35+ and pay just the $10 extra fee for Walmart Express.
Order by: Order by 9:30 p.m.
Whole Foods (for Amazon Prime members)
Cost: $9.95. Additional fees apply on one-hour delivery orders.
Order by: Deadline varies by demand. Schedule your delivery time when you place your order.
The post Your Complete Guide to Holiday Shipping Deadlines for 2024 appeared first on The Real Deal by RetailMeNot.