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FedEx, UPS and USPS peak season surcharge calculator
See the FedEx and UPS 2026-27 demand surcharge dates and per-package rates by window, the USPS holiday price adjustment by product, weight and zone, and estimate what the season adds at your volume.
Source: FedEx, UPS and USPS published 2026-27 peak schedules · Free, no signup
Same service, other carrier, per package at peak
| Window | Dates | Packages | Per package | Service charges | Size charges | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-season | Sep 28 to Oct 25 | 20,000 | — | $0 | $27,950 | $27,950 |
| Early season | Oct 26 to Nov 22 | 20,000 | $0.50 | $10,000 | $27,950 | $37,950 |
| Peak | Nov 23 to Dec 27 | 25,000 | $0.80 | $20,000 | $44,125 | $64,125 |
| Late season | Dec 28 to Jan 17 | 15,000 | $0.50 | $7,500 | $20,963 | $28,463 |
| Season | Sep 28 to Jan 17 | 80,000 | — | $37,500 | $120,988 | $158,488 |
FedEx size and handling demand charges, per package
| Charge | FedEx name | Before and after peak | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|
| Additional handling | Demand additional handling | $8.80 | $11.85 |
| Oversize / large package | Demand oversize charge | $95.75 | $117.25 |
| Unauthorized / over maximum | Demand ground unauthorized package | $535.00 | $595.00 |
FedEx tiered residential schedule, shippers over 20,000 packages a week
| Weekly volume vs June baseline | Ground residential, per package | Air residential, per package |
|---|---|---|
| >105-125% | $1.70 | $3.05 |
| >125-150% | $2.40 | $3.75 |
| >150-200% | $2.70 | $4.05 |
| >200-300% | $3.35 | $4.70 |
| >300-400% | $5.60 | $6.95 |
| >400% | $8.00 | $9.35 |
Demand surcharges apply on top of the year-round surcharge of the same name and on top of fuel, and they are not discounted by your incentive. The FedEx figures are from the FedEx demand surcharges page dated Sep 4, 2026; the UPS figures from the UPS 2026-27 demand surcharge schedule. FedEx Ground Economy is a contract-only service. The tiered schedule replaces the flat residential charge for shippers billed more than 20,000 packages in a week, using the shipper's own June volume as the baseline, which is why it is shown rather than calculated. The percentages above are yours to set; measure them from a season's worth of invoices. USPS runs a different kind of season; choose it above to see its tables.
Find out what peak added to last season’s invoices.
Send your agreement and last season’s invoices. We will show what demand surcharges cost you by service, whether any were billed outside the published windows, and what to negotiate before next season.
What is peak surcharge calculator?
Peak season demand surcharges are per-package charges FedEx and UPS add between late September and mid January, on top of the year-round surcharge of the same name and on top of fuel. Both carriers run four windows: size and handling charges from 27 or 28 September, per-package service charges from 25 or 26 October, five weeks of higher rates from 22 or 23 November to 26 or 27 December, then a lower rate again until 16 or 17 January. Shippers billed more than 20,000 packages a week move to a tiered residential schedule based on their own June volume. USPS runs one window instead, October 4, 2026 to January 17, 2027, adding a fixed amount per package to Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, Ground Advantage and Parcel Select by weight band and zone group, from $0.40 to $20.80.
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