UPS announces temporary Surge Fee for U.S. export shipments

UPS published updated Surge Fees on January 12, 2026, that add a temporary export Surge Fee for U.S.-origin international shipments.

What changed

• Effective date: January 18, 2026.
• End date: February 14, 2026
• Scope: U.S. export shipments to all destinations, including Canada, excluding Israel
• Services impacted: UPS Worldwide Express, Worldwide Express Saver, Worldwide Express Plus, Worldwide Expedited, Worldwide Saver Pallet, UPS Express Freight Time of Day.
• Rate: $0.20 per lb, applied on billable weight.
• Fuel interaction: Surge Fees are subject to the Fuel Surcharge.

Important nuance for Israel lanes

UPS lists a separate U.S. export Surge Fee for Israel of $0.29 per lb through February 14, 2026.

What this means for parcel shippers

• Your export cost per shipment will rise immediately. The impact scales with billable weight, so dimensional drivers and packing choices matter more during the window.
• Budget models that only include base rate changes will miss this. This fee stacks on top of existing charges and is tied to fuel via UPS policy language.
• Margin risk increases on international orders. If you quote landed cost or flat international shipping, you may absorb the increase unless you reprice quickly.
• Carrier comparison needs a refresh. If you are actively routing international volume across multiple carriers, you should re-run the lane-level cost comparison for Jan 18 to Feb 14.

Source: UPS Surge Fees PDF (updated January 12, 2026)

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