Every year, as the holidays approach, eCommerce businesses brace themselves for one of the busiest times in logistics — Peak Season. While this period brings record-breaking sales and opportunities, it also comes with an unavoidable reality: temporary shipping surcharges from major carriers.
These extra fees help carriers manage increased package volumes, staffing, and transportation costs during the holiday rush. However, for businesses, they can significantly impact profit margins if not properly planned for.
Let’s take a closer look at what to expect for 2025 Peak Season surcharges across FedEx, UPS, and USPS, and how to prepare strategically.
FedEx has announced its seasonal surcharges for 2025, effective October 27, 2025, through January 18, 2026.
During this window, rates will increase on key services including Ground Residential, Ground Economy, and Express shipments. Depending on your service type and shipping dates, surcharges will range roughly between $0.40 and $3.55 per package.
In simpler terms:
Because these changes roll out in phases, it’s crucial to monitor your shipment mix and timing. Planning ahead could mean the difference between saving a few cents or paying significantly more per package.
UPS follows a similar timeline, applying Demand Surcharges from October 26, 2025, through January 17, 2026.
The carrier will apply additional fees to Ground Saver, Ground Residential, and Air services, with the most notable increases during the Thanksgiving-to-Christmas shipping rush.
Standard packages will see surcharges ranging between $0.40 and $2.05 per shipment, depending on the period. However, for large-volume shippers (those sending 20,000+ packages per week), fees can climb up to $7.50 per Ground package or $8.75 per Air Residential package.
UPS uses these seasonal adjustments to balance delivery capacity with demand. Therefore, maintaining accurate forecasting and consistent shipping volume can help avoid excessive surcharges.
Unlike private carriers, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) typically enacts more moderate rate adjustments — but they still affect most eCommerce operations.
For 2025, temporary rate increases will apply between October 5, 2025, and January 18, 2026, covering services such as Ground Advantage and Priority Mail.
Depending on the destination zone, you can expect surcharges starting at around $0.90 per package, especially for long-distance shipments (Zones 5–9). While these rates are usually less severe than those from FedEx or UPS, they still add up over time, particularly for high-volume sellers.
While small in appearance, surcharges can significantly influence your overall shipping budget — especially during peak months.
They are applied on top of base rates and are affected by several factors:
Additionally, oversized or non-standard packages trigger extra handling fees, which can quickly inflate total costs. As a result, understanding when and how surcharges apply allows you to better plan your pricing strategy, client communication, and internal logistics operations.
Although surcharges are unavoidable, you can take several steps to reduce their impact on your bottom line:
With proper planning, you can maintain efficiency and protect profit margins — even in the busiest shipping period of the year.
Peak Season doesn’t have to mean stress and rising costs. With the right preparation, it can become a period of growth and customer satisfaction.
By staying informed, managing your logistics intelligently, and collaborating closely with your fulfillment partner, you can navigate surcharges efficiently while maintaining service quality.
At Palletized eHub, our mission is to support your business through every season — especially the busiest one. Let’s make Peak Season 2025 your smoothest and most successful yet! 🚀
📍 Address: 12480 NW 25th St Unit 115
📞 Phone: +1 833-744-7480
🌐 Website: www.palletized.us
🧾 Fulfillment Form: https://www.palletized.us/fulfillment
Logistics solution in Miami
© 2025 Palletized. All rights reserved.
Developed by
