Key points
UPS peak fees started on 20 September 2026 in EMEA and Canada, on 27 September 2026 in the US, and will run until 6 February 2027 in the longest regions. There are 2 types of charge:
This guide covers US domestic, Asia Pacific, Canada, Europe/Middle East/Africa (EMEA) and Latin America.
UPS says each Surge Emergency Fee can change, and the Fuel Surcharge can apply on top of it.
Most of these fees are already live. The US service-level surcharge and Canada's per-package fee start on 25 October, and Mexico's domestic fee starts on 15 November.
UPS charges US domestic Demand Surcharges from 27 September 2026 to 16 January 2027. The highest rates apply from 22 November to 26 December 2026. UPS says these surcharges apply in addition to all other charges (UPS US Demand Surcharges, updated 26 August 2026).
These apply to all US domestic packages that need Additional Handling or are a Large Package, as defined in the UPS Rate and Service Guide, and to every package Over Maximum Limits.
These start later, on 25 October 2026. They apply to every package on these services, whatever its size.
UPS Ground Saver was formerly UPS SurePost. "All Other UPS Air" means UPS 2nd Day Air A.M., 2nd Day Air and 3 Day Select.
Example: a Ground Residential order shipped on 1 December 2026 pays $0.75. If it also needs Additional Handling, it pays $11.90 more, so $12.65 in Demand Surcharges.
Higher rates apply if your combined Ground Residential, Ground Saver, Next Day Air Residential and Other Air Residential volume went over 20,000 packages in any week after October 2025. Once you pass that line, UPS charges by how your weekly volume compares with your Baseline.
Your Baseline = your average weekly volume from 31 May to 27 June 2026. If your average from 30 August to 26 September 2026 is less than 80% of that, UPS uses the later period.
The tiers above 105% are the same in all 3 periods. The 0% to 105% rate is $0.75 (Ground) and $2.50 (Air) from 22 November to 26 December, and $0.50 and $1.35 in the other 2 periods.
Commercial Air packages don't use tiers. Next Day Air Commercial and Other Air Commercial pay $1.35 per package, or $2.50 from 22 November to 26 December, at any volume.
The highest tier you reach in a week applies to every package on that service that week. UPS's own example: at 175% of Baseline on Ground Residential, every Ground Residential package that week pays $2.65, including the ones under 150%. In holiday weeks with fewer UPS operating days, UPS adjusts the charge by the number of full operating days.
This guide covers US domestic, Asia Pacific, Canada, Europe/Middle East/Africa (EMEA) and Latin America.
UPS says each Surge Emergency Fee can change, and the Fuel Surcharge can apply on top of it.
Most of these fees are already live. The US service-level surcharge and Canada's per-package fee start on 25 October, and Mexico's domestic fee starts on 15 November.
Canada has 2 peak charges this season, with different start dates.
Demand Surcharge: 20 September 2026 to 16 January 2027. It applies to Canada domestic and import parcels that need Additional Handling, are a Large Package, or go Over Maximum Limits.
Surge Emergency Fee: 25 October 2026 to 16 January 2027. UPS adds CAD 0.75 per package to every Canada domestic shipment (residential and commercial) and to ground shipments between Canada and the US.
Imports into Canada have a separate per-kilogram Surge Emergency Fee from 27 September 2026 to 16 January 2027 (2 February 2027 from Australia and New Zealand).
From 27 September 2026 to 6 February 2027, UPS added a Surge Emergency Fee to shipments to and from Asia Pacific. It is charged per kilogram, in the currency of the origin country.
The lane decides the fee. Shipping to the US or the Americas costs the most. Shipping inside Asia Pacific costs the least.
ISMEA = Indian Subcontinent, Middle East and Africa.
Example: a 10 kg parcel from Singapore to the US has a Surge Emergency Fee of SGD 21.60 (10 × SGD 2.16), before any Fuel Surcharge.
From 27 September 2026 to 6 February 2027, UPS added a Demand Surcharge to parcels that need Additional Handling, are a Large Package, or go Over Maximum Limits.
In Europe, the Middle East and Africa, both charges start on 20 September 2026 and run to 6 February 2027. UPS applies the Fuel Surcharge to every EMEA Surge Emergency Fee.
This fee applies to residential deliveries only.
This fee applies to selected international air lanes on UPS Express, Express Saver, Express Plus and Expedited. The table runs from the highest fee to the lowest.
Exports from Europe to APAC and to China, Hong Kong or Macau carry no Surge Emergency Fee (EUR 0.00).
Example: a 5 kg Express parcel from Germany to India has a Surge Emergency Fee of EUR 12.65 (5 × EUR 2.53), before the Fuel Surcharge.
The EMEA Demand Surcharge runs over the same dates. UPS lists its per-package amounts by country, so check the Demand Surcharge sheet for your country on ups.com before you ship.
UPS has confirmed 3 date ranges for Latin America:
The UPS notice this guide is based on dates only, with no amounts, so none are listed here. If you ship from Mexico, Brazil or another Latin American country, check the UPS Shipping Zones and Rates page for your country.
For shipments from the US to Canada or Mexico on UPS Standard, UPS already charges a Surge Emergency Fee of USD 0.50 per package from 27 September 2026 (UPS Surge Emergency Fee, updated 18 September 2026).
UPS has published its 2026 US holiday operations. It has not published 2026 year-end ship-by deadlines yet.
Source: UPS 2026 US Holiday Operations Schedule.
For every carrier's cut-off dates as they are released, see our holiday shipping deadlines guide and the UPS holiday schedule.
5 rules decide how much you pay:
For a full list of carrier surcharges and what triggers them, read what shipping surcharges are and how to avoid them.
Do:
Don't:
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Additional Handling, Large Package and Over Maximum Limits surcharges run from 27 September 2026 to 16 January 2027. Air, Ground Residential and Ground Saver surcharges run from 25 October 2026 to 16 January 2027. Both peak from 22 November to 26 December.
Shippers whose combined residential Ground, Ground Saver and Air volume went over 20,000 packages in any week after October 2025. Their rate depends on weekly volume against their June 2026 Baseline, up to $8.00 (Ground) or $9.35 (Air) per package.
It ends on 6 February 2027 for APAC, EMEA and Latin America. In Canada and for the Mexico domestic fee, it ends on 16 January 2027.
Yes, in EMEA. UPS says the Fuel Surcharge applies to the Surge Emergency Fee there. In APAC and Canada, UPS says it may apply where relevant.
It is CAD 0.75 per package from 25 October 2026 to 16 January 2027. It applies to all Canada domestic shipments and to ground shipments to and from the US.
A Surge Emergency Fee applies to most shipments on a lane, per kg or per package. A Demand Surcharge applies only to parcels that need Additional Handling, are a Large Package, or go Over Maximum Limits.
No. UPS lists EUR 0.00 for international air shipments from Europe to China, Hong Kong, Macau and the rest of APAC. Shipments from China, Hong Kong or Macau to Europe cost EUR 1.45 per kg.
Not yet. UPS has published its 2026 holiday closures, including Thanksgiving (26 November), Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Ship-by dates for Christmas delivery are not on ups.com yet.
You can reduce them. Keep parcels under the Additional Handling and Large Package limits, ship Canada domestic orders before 25 October, and compare other couriers on your most expensive lanes.
Key points
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