DHL Express Holiday Schedule 2026: The Dates & Delivery Deadlines You Should Know

DHL Express will pause or limit services on major holidays in 2026, which can affect pickup times, transit, and delivery promises—especially during peak season. Key U.S. closure dates include New Year’s Day (Jan 1), Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Jan 20), Memorial Day (May 26), Independence Day (Jul 4), Labor Day (Sep 1), Columbus Day (Oct 13), Thanksgiving Day (Nov 27), and Christmas Day (Dec 25). 

Below, you’ll find the full holiday schedule plus recommended ship-by deadlines (for example, DHL Express Worldwide: ship by Dec 20 for Christmas delivery) so you can plan checkout messaging, avoid missed cutoffs, and keep customers informed.

What is the DHL Holiday Schedule for 2026?

Keep in mind the holidays and you can strategically time your shipments, ensuring they reach customers on schedule, even during the busiest holiday seasons. 

Let’s take a look at the 2026 DHL Holidays & Delivery Deadlines:

TL;DR — DHL Express 2026 Holiday Shipping Overview (Key Dates)

Normal Operations (Open / Normal service):

• Valentine’s Day (Feb 14, 2026)
• Presidents’ Day (Mon, Feb 16, 2026)
• New Year’s Eve (Thu, Dec 31, 2026) — Open (until 16:30, pickup by 15:00)]

Tip: Some “normal” days can still be high-volume—plan earlier for peak weeks.

Office Closures / No Service (U.S. federal holiday closures):

• New Year’s Day (Thu, Jan 1, 2026)
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Mon, Jan 19, 2026)
• Memorial Day (Mon, May 25, 2026)
• Independence Day (Sat, Jul 4, 2026)
  
  • Local note: Some branches may observe Fri, Jul 3 — check local hours
• Labor Day (Mon, Sep 7, 2026)
• Columbus Day (Mon, Oct 12, 2026)
• Thanksgiving Day (Thu, Nov 26, 2026)
• Christmas Day (Fri, Dec 25, 2026)
• New Year’s Day 2027 (Fri, Jan 1, 2027)

Reduced Hours (Plan pickups earlier):

• Christmas Eve (Thu, Dec 24, 2026) — Open (until 16:30, pickup by 15:00)

Busy Shipping Periods (High demand, possible delays even when open):

• Black Friday (Fri, Nov 27, 2026) — normal ops, heavy volume
• Cyber Monday (Mon, Nov 30, 2026) — normal ops, heavy volume

Quick Tip: Build buffer around Thanksgiving → Cyber Week → Christmas, and confirm local station hours for holidays that may have regional exceptions.

What are the Delivery Deadlines for DHL Express (and other services) for the Holidays in 2026?

To optimize your deliveries with DHL Express during the 2026 holiday season and ensure maximum customer satisfaction, you must adhere to strict shipping deadlines, as this period sees surging demand and carriers operate on limited schedules.

Key DHL Express US Holiday Shipping Deadlines for 2026:

Easyship also now supports DHL eCommerce services, giving merchants more flexible options for cost-effective shipping.

For Christmas Delivery:

• DHL Express Worldwide: Ship by December 20 (Sunday) to ensure Christmas arrival.
• DHL Economic Select: Ship by December 18 (Friday).
• DHL Domestic Express: Ship by December 19 (Saturday).
• For cost-effective, slower services like SmartMail Expedited Max or SmartMail Ground, the recommended latest ship-by dates are December 14 (Monday) and December 5 (Saturday), respectively.

For Last-Minute Shipments:

• DHL Express offers delivery as fast as next-day in many areas, but services do not operate on Christmas Day (December 25) or other federal holidays—so do not promise delivery on those dates.

For Shipping International Orders: Use “DHL Parcel Zonal Expedited”—ship by December 14 for guaranteed Christmas arrival.

General Best Practices for DHL Express Holiday Shipping

If you want to make the most of your holiday shipping and have chosen DHL Express to do the job for, here are a few considerations to keep in mind to 

• Communicate shipping cutoff dates prominently to customers on your website and at checkout to manage expectations and reduce inquiries or complaints.
• Plan early shipments for costlier/ground services to reduce both your costs and customer risk of late delivery.
• Monitor holiday schedule updates, as DHL may adjust deadlines due to volume surges or unexpected supply chain events.
• Avoid scheduling picks up or delivery on US Public Holidays (such as Christmas Day, Thanksgiving, Independence Day, etc.), when DHL Express will be closed.
• Offer tracking and real-time updates, which DHL Express provides as standard, to give your customers transparency and peace of mind.

Easyship’s Duties & Tax Calculation tool provides a seamless checkout experience for international customers by showing duties upfront, helping you avoid unexpected fees on orders sent before this holiday.

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Get Big Discounts During Holiday Season with Easyship!

Holidays can be expensive, make sure your shipping does not add to the cost!

Through Easyship, merchants can access exclusive DHL shipping discounts of up to 91% off retail rates, helping significantly reduce fulfillment costs without compromising delivery speed or reliability. 

Furthermore, you can also gain access to special features to enable multi-channel fulfillment, rates at checkout, and insurance for your shipments to ensure an end to end customer fulfillment. 

Plan early with DHL Express’s holiday schedule and maximize Easyship’s features to provide a shipping experience your customers will love!

FAQs

• What holidays is DHL closed?
  DHL Express will pause or limit services on major holidays in 2026, which can affect pickup times, transit, and delivery promises—especially during peak season. Key U.S. closure dates include New Year’s Day (Jan 1), Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Jan 20), Memorial Day (May 26), Independence Day (Jul 4), Labor Day (Sep 1), Columbus Day (Oct 13), Thanksgiving Day (Nov 27), and Christmas Day (Dec 25). 
• Do DHL Express deliver on holidays?
  DHL Express does not provide pickup or delivery services on most federal public holidays when offices are closed. Some exceptions occur with adjusted hours or specific local branches, but generally no service happens on official holidays.
• Does DHL have paid holidays?
  Yes, DHL recognizes and observes paid holidays on major federal public holidays when offices close and no courier services operate.
• What days are business days for DHL?
  Business days for DHL are typically Monday through Friday excluding federal and regional public holidays when the offices are closed. DHL operates normal pickup and delivery services on most weekdays including some holidays like Valentine’s Day, President’s Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, and New Year’s Eve.
• Can I expect delays for packages sent via an overnight delivery service around Thanksgiving?

Yes, delays are possible even with overnight delivery services around Thanksgiving. While carriers like DHL Express typically operate normally on the days surrounding the holiday, Thanksgiving Day itself is a full closure, and shipment volumes spike significantly before and after the holiday.