Holiday shipping season is on the way! As carriers prepare for increased shipping volume, temporary surcharges may apply to some shipments.
UPS has announced its 2026 holiday Demand Surcharges, beginning September 27th. The dates and surcharge amounts vary depending on the UPS service or type of surcharge.
When do UPS Holiday Demand Surcharges apply?
UPS Holiday Demand Surcharges affect UPS Ground Saver®, UPS® Ground, UPS Next Day Air®, and other UPS Air services during select dates between October 25th and January 16th, 2027.
The surcharge amount depends on the service and when you ship, with the highest Demand Surcharges applying during the peak holiday period from November 22nd through December 26th.
Peak surcharges for domestic UPS services
Service Level | Oct 25 - Nov 21 | Nov 22 - Dec 26 | Dec 27 - Jan 16 |
UPS Ground Saver® | $0.50 per package | $0.75 per package | $0.50 per package |
UPS® Ground | $0.50 per package | $0.75 per package | $0.50 per package |
UPS Air® Services | $1.35 per package | $2.50 per package | $1.35 per package |
Note: UPS Air services include UPS 3 Day Select®, UPS 2nd Day Air®, UPS 2nd Day Air A.M.®, and UPS Next Day Air®.
Are there additional Demand Surcharges for large or oversized packages?
Yes. Beginning September 27th, UPS will also apply temporary Demand Surcharges to packages that require:
Additional Handling
a Large Package surcharge
an Over Maximum Limits charge
These Demand Surcharges apply to U.S. domestic, import, and export shipments. The amount varies depending on the charge and when you ship.
Other Charges | Sept 27 - Nov 21 | Nov 22 - Dec 26 | Dec 27 - Jan 16 |
Additional Handling |
$8.75 per package |
$11.90 per package |
$8.75 per package |
Large Package Surcharge |
$96.25 per package | $117.50 per package |
$96.25 per package |
Over Maximum Limits | $530.00 per package | $590.00 per package | $530.00 per package |
Pro Pirate Tip: Accurate package dimensions and weight are especially important when shipping larger packages. Check out our article on UPS surcharges for more information about Additional Handling, Large Package, and Over Maximum Limits charges.
What are UPS Surge Emergency Fees?
UPS has also updated its Surge Emergency Fees for certain international shipments. These fees apply to qualifying shipments from the United States to all destinations using select UPS international services.
Surge Emergency Fees are based on the shipment's billable weight and are subject to the UPS Fuel Surcharge. They may apply to qualifying shipments that require Additional Handling, incur a Large Package Surcharge, or exceed UPS Maximum Limits.
These are the fees* for UPS Worldwide Express®, UPS Worldwide Expedited®, UPS Worldwide Saver®, and UPS® Standard:
Additional Handling
May 31 - Sept 26: $8.75 per package
Sept 26 - Nov 21: $8.75 per package
Nov 22 - Dec 26: $11.90 per package
Dec 27 - Jan 16: $8.75 per package
Large Package Surcharge
May 31 - Sept 26: $96.00 per package
Sept 26 - Nov 21: $96.25 per package
Nov 22 - Dec 26: $117.50 per package
Dec 27 - Jan 16: $96.25 per package
Over Maximum Limits
May 31 - Sept 26: $514.00 per package
Sept 26 - Nov 21: $530.00 per package
Nov 22 - Dec 26: $590.00 per package
Dec 27 - Jan 16: $530.00 per package
*Note: Fees are subject to change.
Our software automatically applies these temporary increases when you buy labels
No action needed on your part: You don't need to remember all the details of these increases! Our software applies these UPS surcharges automatically at checkout to qualifying packages, and will display them on the "Buy Label" page when you're ready to make your purchase.
You'll still get deep discounts on Pirate Ship with the holiday surcharge increases
These temporary UPS surcharges are not unique to Pirate Ship: Temporary surcharge increases for UPS shipments aren't just happening on Pirate Ship. UPS imposes them everywhere, but you're still getting some of the deepest discounts on the Seven Seas by shipping with us!
To see how much you'll save, plug your package's information into our Rates Calculator 💰