United Parcel Service (UPS) delivers Monday through Friday, generally from morning until about 9 p.m., with Saturday delivery in many areas and no Sunday delivery.
The exact time depends on the service you pay for and whether the address is a business or a residence. Time-definite UPS Air services carry a commitment time, such as 8:00 a.m. or 10:30 a.m., while UPS Ground is day-definite: it arrives on a set day, at any point during the driver's route. Every time below comes from UPS's own pages, checked on October 25, 2026.
What time does UPS deliver?
UPS says its drivers can generally deliver as late as 9 p.m., and even later during the holiday season.
UPS also describes residential deliveries as typically made between 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., with some arriving later. A package without a time-definite service can arrive at any point in that window, depending on where your address falls on the driver's route that day.
What are UPS delivery times by service?
UPS Air services are guaranteed to arrive by a set time; UPS Ground and UPS 3 Day Select are guaranteed to arrive on a set day.
| UPS service | Delivery day | Delivery time |
|---|---|---|
| UPS Next Day Air Early | Next business day | By 8:00 a.m. in major metropolitan cities in the 48 contiguous states; by 8:30 or 9:00 a.m. to most other cities |
| UPS Next Day Air | Next business day | By 10:30 a.m. to specific addresses, otherwise by noon or end of day; residential addresses with a typical 10:30 a.m. time now have a 12:00 p.m. commitment |
| UPS Next Day Air Saver | Next business day | By 3:00 or 4:30 p.m. to commercial addresses; end of day to residences |
| UPS 2nd Day Air A.M. | Second business day | Morning delivery to most commercial destinations in the 48 contiguous states |
| UPS 2nd Day Air | Second business day | Day-definite, to most addresses in the 50 states and Puerto Rico |
| UPS 3 Day Select | Third business day | Day-definite, to addresses in the 48 contiguous states |
| UPS Ground | 1 to 5 business days | Day-definite, to commercial and residential addresses |
"End of day" is a commitment, not a clock time: the package arrives before the driver finishes the route that day. For a closer look at the overnight service most businesses compare, see UPS Next Day Air Saver cost, delivery time and limits.
Does UPS deliver earlier to businesses than to homes?
Yes, for several Air services: UPS commits to earlier times for commercial addresses than for residences.
- UPS Next Day Air: 10:30 a.m. to specific addresses, but residential deliveries with a typical 10:30 a.m. time have a 12:00 p.m. commitment. UPS made this change on October 18, 2021, until further notice.
- UPS Next Day Air Saver: 3:00 or 4:30 p.m. to businesses, end of day to residences.
- UPS 2nd Day Air A.M.: built for commercial destinations, and the UPS Service Guarantee does not apply to residential deliveries of this service.
UPS Ground is day-definite for both business and residential addresses, so neither gets a set time.
Does UPS deliver on Saturday?
Yes. UPS delivers UPS Ground to residences on Saturday at no additional fee in the areas where it offers Saturday Ground delivery.
Saturday Ground delivery to a commercial address carries an additional per-package fee. For Air shipments, Saturday Delivery is an option you request when you ship: UPS offers it for UPS Next Day Air Early, UPS Next Day Air, UPS 2nd Day Air and UPS 3 Day Select in certain areas, the shipment needs a Saturday Delivery label, and UPS charges an additional fee for each shipment. If you do not select it, an Air package due on Saturday is delivered the next business day.
Does UPS deliver on Sunday?
No regular Sunday delivery: UPS's weekend page lists Monday through Saturday service, with no Sunday pickups or deliveries.
If a package must arrive on a Sunday, compare the other carriers. USPS delivers Priority Mail Express on Sundays in many markets for an additional fee, and FedEx Home Delivery reaches nearly two thirds of the U.S. population on Sundays. Our guide to which carriers deliver on Saturday and Sunday puts all three side by side.
Does UPS deliver on holidays?
UPS has no pickup or delivery on Thanksgiving (November 26, 2026), Christmas Day (December 25, 2026) and New Year's Day (January 1, 2027).
On Christmas Eve, UPS delivers all services; on New Year's Eve, it delivers Air and international Air services. UPS operates normally on Veterans Day, Wednesday, November 11, 2026. Pickups on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve must be prearranged, and UPS Ground is not picked up on those days. The full calendar is in the UPS holiday schedule.
How do you find out when your UPS package will arrive?
Track it on ups.com with the tracking number: the tracking page shows the scheduled delivery date and, as it gets closer, the delivery status.
- Enter the tracking number on the UPS tracking page.
- Check the scheduled delivery date and the service level on the label: Air services carry a commitment time, Ground does not.
- If the package is out for delivery, it can still arrive up to about 9 p.m., later in the holiday season.
- If no one will be home, ask the shipper or UPS about holding the package at a UPS location.
Shipping UPS for a business? Shipixy gives discounted UPS rates of up to 75%, with no subscription fees. Compare services and prices with the UPS shipping calculator, see UPS shipping with Shipixy, or browse more UPS shipping guides.
Sources
All sources were checked on October 25, 2026. Carriers can change their services and times; the official pages below always win.
- UPS: domestic shipping services (UPS Ground and Air)
- UPS: Service Guarantee
- UPS: 2026 Rate and Service Guide, daily rates (PDF)
- UPS: 2026 Tariff/Terms and Conditions of Service, United States (PDF)
- UPS: service codes and descriptions
- UPS: tracking support
- UPS: Saturday delivery and pickup options
- UPS: holiday shipping schedule
- USPS: Priority Mail Express
- FedEx: Saturday and Sunday delivery
