How long does UPS overnight shipping take? (Really overnight?)
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One of the latest and greatest developments in the modern shipping industry is the ability to deliver packages to virtually any distance overnight.
But how long does overnight shipping really take, is it actually overnight? If you want to know, read on to find out what I found on this topic!
How long will UPS overnight shipping take in 2022?
Overnight shipping is the fastest shipping service offered by UPS in 2022. With overnight shipping, the package will arrive the next business day, which usually means the package is truly shipped overnight. However, if the package is sent on a weekend or holiday, it may not be delivered for several days.
If you need to send an urgent overnight package via UPS, or just want to better understand how overnight shipping actually works, be sure to keep reading to learn more!
How fast is UPS overnight shipping?
One of the fastest services on the market, UPS Overnight Shipping guarantees that your package will arrive the next business day after pickup.
This means that for most packages shipped with UPS overnight service, delivery is within 24 hours of the package being shipped.
However, it’s important to note that UPS guarantees overnight package delivery the next business day, not necessarily the next chronological day.
Since delivery is only guaranteed on the next business day, packages that are overnight on a Friday or Saturday will arrive on Monday because that is the next business day.
Packages that are overnighted on Friday are eligible for delivery on Saturday, however, there is an additional fee for this option, usually around $16 per package.
So if you’re not interested in paying for Saturday delivery, you can expect your package to be delivered on Monday.
While overnight shipping is one of the fastest services UPS offers, if you have an urgent package that needs fast delivery, you may want to consider UPS Express Critical.
UPS Express Critical is a really fast service that usually specializes in same-day delivery—if you’re interested, you can call 1-800-714-8779 to inquire about it.
Is UPS overnight shipping really overnight?
The term “overnight shipping” tends to conjure up images of a frantic courier picking up a package, speeding to the airport, and then placing it on a red-eye flight to its destination.
While the facts aren’t that dramatic, UPS overnight shipping does happen overnight in most cases.
As previously mentioned, UPS Overnight Service only guarantees next business day delivery.
Of course, you can buy Saturday delivery for overnight packages that are picked up on Friday, but that will cost you around $16 extra.
However, for all other packages, UPS overnight shipping does happen overnight.
If you want to learn more about UPS’s overnight shipping options and how they work, be sure to check out the pdf UPS created explaining the overnight service!
How much is UPS overnight shipping?
UPS determines shipping costs by looking at three main factors:
- Dimensional weight of a given package
- The distance the package needs to be delivered
- speed of delivery
Since overnight shipping means packages need to be delivered extra quickly, you can imagine that these services tend to cost more – but how much?
To figure this out, we first need to start filling in some blanks about our hypothetical package.
Let’s say we plan to ship a 5 pound package from Austin, Texas to Los Angeles, California, and we need to ship the package overnight.
Knowing that we’ve filled in the weight and distance variables, we can start thinking about the different overnight services offered by UPS.
You can choose from three overnight UPS services:
- UPS Next Day Early Air, guaranteed delivery to most parts of the U.S. around 8 a.m.
- UPS Next Day Air, guaranteed delivery to most of the US by 10:30am
- UPS Next Day Air Saver, Guaranteed Delivery by 4:30pm for Business Addresses and Residential Addresses by End of Day
To ship a package using the parameters we discussed with UPS Next Day Early Air, you can expect to pay more than $150 in shipping.
For the same package shipped with UPS Next Day Air, you will pay approximately $116.
Finally, if you choose the UPS Next Day Air Saver, you may be charged $113 for shipping.
As you can see, overnight delivery is definitely not cheap, and then if you need to add Saturday delivery, things get even more expensive.
It’s also important to remember that these shipping costs are estimates, not set prices.
If you want to see a price that more closely reflects the price you might pay for your next urgent package, be sure to visit the UPS website and use the price calculator.
To learn more, you can also read our posts on whether UPS delivers overnight, whether UPS delivers to your door, and whether UPS delivers on Sunday.
in conclusion
UPS Overnight Shipping is a true overnight service for packages shipped Sunday through Thursday. However, UPS Overnight Service only guarantees next business day delivery.
As a result, packages shipped on Friday or Saturday usually won’t arrive until Monday unless you pay an out-of-pocket fee of about $16 for Saturday delivery.
