Overnight shipping has been made much more common in today's age. Demand for quicker shipping times is becoming increasingly more common, making next-day delivery a popular option. Let's dive into which next-day and overnight shipping options are available.
Overnight delivery and next-day delivery mean the same thing. Both are shipping services that deliver a parcel on the following business day. Typically, deliveries for express services will not make delivery over the weekend or on holidays.
Even though most carrier sorting facilities are open over the weekend, deliveries are not available. If you want weekend delivery, you will have to pay for an add-on express service. These services are day-definite, so they will cost around $16 for delivery on the exact day you want it.
Next-day shipping and next-day delivery are not the same thing. Next-day delivery means that your package will arrive the day after it is shipped. Next-day shipping means that your package will ship from the facility the day after the order is placed.
Next Day Air® offers guaranteed delivery by 10:30 a.m., 12:00 p.m., or end of day depending on the recipient address. It also offers delivery by 12:00 p.m. or 1:30 p.m. on Saturday. It delivers in all 50 states and Puerto Rico with some limitations on Hawaii and Alaska.
Next Day Air Saver® is slightly less expensive than Next Day Air®, and will arrive by the end of the next business day. It is available in all 50 states, with some limitations on Hawaii and Alaska.
Next Day Air® Early is best for packages that need to arrive in the morning. It offers guaranteed delivery for by 8:00 a.m. in major cities, 9:00 a.m.-9:30 a.m. in many other cities, and can arrive as early as 9:00 a.m. using Saturday delivery.
USPS Priority Mail Express does not always guarantee delivery next day and is more commonly a 2-Day service.
FedEx Standard Overnight® is next-day shipping that offers guaranteed delivery to businesses by 4:30 p.m. and to most residential addresses by 8:00 p.m. It is available in all 50 states with some limitations in Hawaii and Alaska.
FedEx Priority Overnight® offers next-day delivery by 10:30 a.m. to most commercial locations and residential delivery by 4:30 p.m. Similar to Standard Overnight, it has options in all 50 states with a few limitations. Saturday delivery can happen at 12:00 p.m., 1:30 p.m., or 2 p.m.
FedEx First Overnight® offers early next-day delivery by 8:00 a.m., 9:00 a.m., or 9:30 a.m. in most areas. Certain areas receive delivery by 10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., or 2:00 p.m. Always be sure to keep in mind that exceptions may apply.
UPS, FedEx, and USPS have a number of options if you are trying to get your package overnight or next-day. The optimal shipping choice hinges on both the desired delivery time and the destination.