Pricing & Classification DMM Advisory
October 12, 2018
Mailing Deadlines for the Holiday Season
Thousands of men and women in the nation’s diplomatic corps and in the military will be serving abroad during the holidays. The mail is a great way to stay connected with them by sending them cards, letters, presents and care packages for the festive season.
The Postal Service offers a reduced price of $17.40 on its largest Priority Mail® Flat Rate Box® for mail sent to APO/FPO/DPO (Air/Army Post Office/Fleet Post Office/Diplomatic Post Office) destinations worldwide — a $1.50 discount from the regular price.
Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes are available at no cost at local Post Offices and also can be ordered online. Postage, labels and customs forms also can be printed online anytime using Click-N-Ship®. All mailing products can be found at store.usps.com/store/home .
To ensure timely delivery of holiday wishes by Dec. 25, the Postal Service recommends that cards and packages be sent to military APO/FPO/DPO addresses overseas no later than the mailing dates listed below.
| Mail Addressed To | Priority Mail Express Military Service (PMEMS)1 | First-Class Mail Letters and Cards | Priority Mail | Parcel Airlift Mail (PAL) 2 | Space Available Mail (SAM) 3 | USPS Retail Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs | Dec 18 | Dec 11 | Dec 11 | Dec 04 | Nov 27 | Nov 06 |
| APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIP 093 | N/A | Dec 04 | Dec 04 | Dec 04 | Nov 27 | Nov 06 |
| APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs | Dec 18 | Dec 11 | Dec 11 | Dec 04 | Nov 27 | Nov 06 |
| APO/FPO/DPO AA ZIP 340 | Dec 18 | Dec 11 | Dec 11 | Dec 04 | Nov 27 | Nov 06 |
| APO/FPO/DPO AP ZIPs | Dec 18 | Dec 11 | Dec 11 | Dec 04 | Nov 27 | Nov 06 |
1. PMEMS is available to selected military/diplomatic Post Offices. Check with your local Post Office to determine if this service is available to an APO/FPO/DPO address.
2. PAL is a service that provides air transportation for parcels on a space-available basis. PAL is available for Retail Ground items not exceeding 30 pounds in weight or 60 inches in length and girth combined. The applicable PAL fee must be paid in addition to the regular surface price for each addressed piece sent by PAL service.
3. SAM parcels are paid at Retail Ground prices with maximum weight and size limits of 15 pounds and 60 inches in length and girth combined. SAM parcels are first transported domestically by surface and then to overseas destinations by air on a space-available basis.
Use Military Care Kits to Send Presents, Care Packages
The Postal Service has created a free Military Care Kit based on the items most frequently requested by military families. The kit contains:
- Two Priority Mail APO/FPO/DPO Flat Rate Boxes
- Four Priority Mail Medium Flat Rate Boxes
- Priority Mail tape
- Priority Mail address labels
- Appropriate customs forms
To order the kit, call 800-610-8734 or order online at https://store.usps.com/store/product/shipping-supplies/military-care-kit-P_MILITARYKIT. Guidelines for packing, addressing and shipping items to U.S. troops can be found at https://www.usps.com/ship/apo-fpo-dpo.htm. To order Flat-Rate Boxes featuring the “America Supports You” logo, go to https://store.usps.com/store/product/shipping-supplies/priority-mail-apofpo-flat-rate-box-P_MILI_FRB
Addressing the Package
- Write the service member’s full name
- Include the unit and APO/FPO/DPO address with the 5-digit ZIP Code or 9-digit ZIP Code (if one is assigned). For example:
| Army Post Office (APO) | Fleet Post Office (FPO) | Diplomatic Post Office (DPO) |
|---|---|---|
| PFC JOHN DOE | SEAMAN JOSEPH SMITH | JOHN ADAMS |
- Do not write the country name where the service member is stationed in the address
- Include a return address
- Inside the box, include the service member’s name and address as well as the sender’s name and address on an index card in case the shipping label gets damaged in transit
Domestic mailing deadlines are as follows:
| Domestic Mail Class/Product | Cut Off Date |
|---|---|
| USPS Retail Ground® | Dec. 14 |
| First-Class Package Service® (up to 15.99 ounces) | Dec. 14 |
| First-Class Mail® (including greeting cards) | Dec. 20 |
| Priority Mail® | Dec. 20 |
| Alaska to mainland Priority Mail and First-Class Mail | Dec. 20 |
| Hawaii to mainland Priority Mail and First-Class Mail | Dec. 20 |
| Priority Mail Express®* | Dec. 22 |
| Alaska to mainland Priority Mail Express | Dec. 22 |
| Hawaii to mainland Priority Mail Express | Dec. 22 |
* Priority Mail Express postage refund eligibility is adjusted for shipments mailed Dec. 22-25