Holiday Shipping Deadlines 2026: Parcel and LTL
By Marc-André Guindon
Published on November 11, 2026
In short
Every 2026 holiday shipping deadline in one place: Canada Post, Purolator, UPS, FedEx, Canpar and LTL cutoffs, carrier closures and peak surcharges.
In short
Every 2026 holiday shipping deadline in one place: Canada Post, Purolator, UPS, FedEx, Canpar and LTL cutoffs, carrier closures and peak surcharges.
Canada Post, Purolator, UPS, FedEx, Canpar and LTL cutoffs for the 2026 peak season
Last updated: November 10, 2026
Most Canadian carriers set Wednesday, December 23, 2026 as the last day to ship express parcels for delivery before Christmas. Ground parcels and LTL (less-than-truckload) freight close much earlier, often between December 9 and December 18 depending on the lane.
Peak season also brings higher surcharges, tighter guarantees and carrier closures on December 25, 26 and 28, and January 1. If your team ships parcel and pallets through several portals, missing one cutoff can delay a customer order or a production line.
This guide puts every 2026 cutoff and closure on one page, as of November 2026.
Key takeaways
- Express parcel cutoff: December 23 for Canada Post Priority, Purolator next day, UPS Express and FedEx Overnight.
- Ground parcel cutoffs fall as early as December 9 (Canpar Ground, B.C. to Newfoundland).
- Carriers close December 25, 26 and 28, and January 1. UPS also closes January 2.
- Canada Post peak surcharges apply to items mailed from November 2, 2026 to January 10, 2027.
- Book LTL pickups early: many LTL carriers close or run limited hours on December 24 and 31.
2026 holiday shipping deadlines by carrier
Ship on or before these dates for delivery by December 24, 2026. Dates are the last day to ship and assume most metro areas. Remote and northern lanes need extra days.
Canada Post (domestic)
| Service | Local | Regional | National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Priority | Dec. 23 | Dec. 23 | Dec. 23 |
| Xpresspost | Dec. 23 | Dec. 22 | Dec. 22 |
| Expedited Parcel | Dec. 22 | Dec. 18 | Dec. 14 |
| Regular Parcel | Dec. 21 | Dec. 16 | Dec. 10 |
Canada Post (to the U.S.)
| Service | Last day to ship |
|---|---|
| Xpresspost USA | Dec. 17 |
| Expedited Parcel USA | Dec. 14 |
| Tracked Packet / Small Packet USA | Dec. 11 |
More details on Canada Post deadlines. Dates are between major urban centres and depend on origin and destination.
Purolator
| Destination or service | Last day to ship |
|---|---|
| Canada next day (where available) | Dec. 23 |
| U.S. next day (where available) | Dec. 23 |
| U.S. via Purolator Ground | Dec. 15 |
| Western Europe (UK, France, Germany) | Dec. 18 |
| Australia, Caribbean, Mexico, South and Central America | Dec. 18 |
| East Asia (China, Japan, Thailand) | Dec. 17 |
| Africa, Eastern Europe, Middle East, South Asia | Dec. 11 |
More details on Purolator deadlines
UPS Canada
| Service | Within Canada | Canada to U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| UPS Express | Dec. 23 | Dec. 23 |
| UPS Expedited | Dec. 22 | Dec. 22 |
| UPS 3 Day Select | Not offered | Dec. 21 |
| UPS Standard | See ups.com/ca | See ups.com/ca |
FedEx Canada
| Service | Last day to ship |
|---|---|
| First, Priority and Standard Overnight (within Canada) | Wed. Dec. 23 |
| FedEx 2Day (within Canada) | Tue. Dec. 22 |
| FedEx Economy (within Canada) | Mon. Dec. 21 |
| FedEx Ground (within Canada) | Dec. 15 to Dec. 23, by lane* |
| International First and Priority (to U.S.) | Wed. Dec. 23 |
| International Economy (to U.S.) | Tue. Dec. 22 |
| International Connect Plus (to U.S.) | Dec. 18 to Dec. 22, by lane |
| International Ground (to U.S.) | Dec. 15 to Dec. 22, by lane |
| FedEx 1Day Freight (within Canada) | Wed. Dec. 23 |
* Shipments from the western provinces to the Atlantic provinces take longer.
More details on FedEx deadlines
Canpar
Canpar Ground cutoffs vary by origin and destination province, from Dec. 9 (B.C. to Newfoundland) to Dec. 22 (within the same province). Check the full grid on Canpar’s holiday schedule.
LTL freight closures
LTL carriers don’t publish a “last day to ship for Christmas”. They publish terminal closures. Every LTL carrier that has shared its 2026 schedule is closed December 25 and January 1, and many also close or run limited hours on December 24 and 31.
Canadian LTL carriers
| Carrier | Dec. 24 | Dec. 25 | Dec. 28 | Dec. 31 | Jan. 1 | Jan. 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FedEx Freight Canada | Open | Closed | Closed | Open | Closed | Not stated |
| XPO (Canada) | Closed | Closed | Closed | Not stated | Closed | Not stated |
| Day & Ross | Not stated | Closed | Closed | Not stated | Not posted | Not stated |
| Manitoulin Transport | Limited (deliveries only) | Closed | Closed | Limited (deliveries only) | Closed | Limited (deliveries, Saturday terminals) |
| Groupe Morneau | Limited (morning only) | Closed | Open (except GEO Bolton) | Limited (morning only) | Closed | Closed |
| Action Force Transport | Limited (until noon) | Closed | Closed | Limited (until noon) | Closed | Closed |
| Labranche Transport | Closed | Closed | Not stated | Closed | Closed | Not stated |
| Groupe Bourret | Closed | Closed | Not stated | Closed | Closed | Not stated |
| Transport Inter-Nord (tentative) | Closed | Closed | Not stated | Closed | Closed | Not stated |
Manitoulin is closed December 25 to 28 and runs regular service December 29 and 30. Morneau is closed December 25 to 27. Vitran has not posted its 2026 schedule yet.
U.S. and cross-border LTL carriers
U.S. carriers also close for American Thanksgiving, which affects cross-border freight in late November.
| Carrier | Nov. 26 | Nov. 27 | Dec. 24 | Dec. 25 | Dec. 31 | Jan. 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R+L Carriers | Closed | Closed | Closed | Closed | Not stated | Closed |
| XPO (U.S.) | Closed | Closed | Closed | Closed | Not stated | Closed |
| Old Dominion (tentative) | Closed | Limited | Limited | Closed | Limited | Closed |
| A. Duie Pyle | Closed | Closed | Closed | Closed | Not stated | Closed |
| WWEX | Closed | Closed | Closed | Closed | Not stated | Closed |
We recommend planning pallet pickups at least 5 business days before the closure, and earlier on long-haul or cross-border lanes. Book appointments and accessorials such as liftgate when you book.
You can quote and book LTL shipping with several carriers in one search, which helps when one lane fills up the week before Christmas.
More details on FedEx Freight holiday closures
Schedules from carrier websites and carriers, as of November 10, 2026. Subject to change.
Holiday closures and peak surcharges
Every carrier that has published its 2026 schedule is closed December 25 and January 1. Monday, December 28 is the observed Boxing Day, because December 26 falls on a Saturday, and most carriers close that day too. December 24 and 31 vary by carrier.
| Parcel carrier | Dec. 24 | Dec. 25 | Dec. 28 | Dec. 31 | Jan. 1 | Jan. 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UPS Canada | Limited (air pickup by arrangement) | Closed | Closed | Limited (air pickup by arrangement) | Closed | Closed |
| FedEx Canada* | Open | Closed | Closed | Open | Closed | Not stated |
| Loomis Express | Not stated | Closed | Closed | Not stated | Closed | Not stated |
| Canpar | Not stated | Closed | Closed | Not stated | Closed | Not stated |
| Purolator | Not stated | Closed | Closed | Not stated | Closed | Not stated |
| Canada Post | Open | Closed | Closed | Open | Closed | Not stated |
* FedEx is also closed Saturday, December 26.
Peak season surcharges
Canada Post’s peak period runs for items mailed from November 2, 2026 to January 10, 2027 (customer notice):
- Oversize and unpackaged items: $21 rises to $30.
- Out-of-spec items: $300 rises to $400.
- Late delivery guarantees on Priority, Xpresspost and Expedited Parcel apply only when an item arrives two or more business days late.
UPS, FedEx and Purolator also apply peak or demand surcharges in Q4.
How to plan your peak season shipping
Work back from your earliest cutoff, not your latest one. Ground and LTL lanes close first, and they usually carry most of your volume.
- Map your lanes to cutoffs. List your top origin and destination pairs by mode (parcel, pallet, LTL), then match each one to the dates above.
- Set an internal cutoff 1 to 2 days earlier. Weather, holiday volume and stricter guarantees all reduce your margin for error.
- Book LTL pickups early. Confirm appointments and accessorials such as liftgate or residential delivery the week before Christmas.
- Compare service levels, not just price. An Expedited shipment that misses the cutoff can cost more than an Xpresspost one that arrives on time.
- Check surcharges on oversize items. Canada Post’s oversize surcharge rises to $30 during peak. Moving a large parcel to a pallet can be the better option.
- Plan cross-border shipments separately. Many U.S. cutoffs come before domestic ones. For example, Canada Post Xpresspost USA closes Dec. 17, versus Dec. 22 or 23 within Canada. You still need a complete commercial invoice.
- Share one schedule with your team. When sales, warehouse and customer service see the same cutoffs, fewer orders get promised late.
Manage peak season from one platform
Lazr helps you run parcel, pallet and LTL shipments for all your carriers in one place. That matters most when volume peaks and cutoffs tighten.
- 100+ connected carriers, national and regional, parcel and LTL, on one screen.
- Pricing Intelligence: Our team imports your negotiated rates. Lazr keeps them private and includes them in every search alongside Marketplace rates. Each option shows its transit time.
- Unlimited users, so sales, warehouse and customer service work from the same shipments.
- Trilingual support (English, French and Spanish) that answers within minutes when a pickup or delivery goes wrong in December.
Ship your peak season from one screen
Create your free Lazr account in under 3 minutes, or book a demo with our team.
Frequently asked questions
What is the last day to ship for Christmas 2026 in Canada?
For most express services, the last day to ship is Wednesday, December 23, 2026. This applies to Canada Post Priority, Purolator next day, UPS Express and FedEx Overnight in most metro areas. Ground and economy services close earlier, often between December 9 and December 18, depending on the distance between provinces.
Are carriers open on Boxing Day 2026?
No. Boxing Day falls on Saturday, December 26, 2026, and most carriers also close on Monday, December 28, the observed holiday. FedEx, FedEx Freight and UPS are closed on both days. Pickups and deliveries resume on Tuesday, December 29.
When does the Canada Post peak season surcharge apply in 2026?
Canada Post’s peak period applies to items mailed from November 2, 2026 to January 10, 2027. During this period, the oversize and unpackaged item surcharge rises from $21 to $30, and the out-of-spec surcharge rises from $300 to $400. Late delivery guarantees are also reduced.
What is the deadline to ship from Canada to the U.S. for Christmas?
Express services to the U.S., such as UPS Express, FedEx International Priority and Purolator next day, accept shipments until December 23, 2026. Ground services close earlier: December 15 for Purolator Ground and December 14 for Canada Post Expedited Parcel USA. Leave extra time for customs documents.
How early should I book LTL freight before the holidays?
We recommend booking LTL pickups at least 5 business days before your carrier’s holiday closure, and earlier for long-haul or cross-border lanes. Every LTL carrier that has shared its 2026 schedule is closed December 25 and January 1, and many also close or run limited hours on December 24, 28 and 31. Confirm accessorials like liftgate or appointment delivery when you book.
How can I manage holiday cutoffs across several carriers?
Use one platform that shows all your carriers, services and transit times together. With Lazr, you can compare parcel, pallet and LTL options from 100+ carriers on one screen. Our team imports your negotiated rates. Lazr keeps them private and includes them in every search alongside Marketplace rates. Your team sees every option before the cutoff passes.
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