The Guide to USPS Overnight Shipping

If you’re looking for fast shipping at an affordable price, USPS Overnight could be your best option. Just one thing: USPS Overnight actually goes by the name of USPS Priority Mail Express.

USPS Priority Mail Express lets you “overnight” packages in 1-2 business days guaranteed in the US. You can also use USPS Priority Mail Express for international shipments, which arrive in 3-5 days guaranteed.

USPS isn't known for being reliable, but its overnight service guarantees its delivery times. Perks of Priority Express include free pickup, tracking, proof of delivery, and insurance.

With Easyship, you can save up to 91% off all USPS shipping rates, including USPS Overnight. These pre-negotiated discount rates are available without any order minimums or courier account. Just compare and pick your rates to save automatically.

Use this article to learn everything you need to know about USPS Overnight shipping.

What Is USPS Overnight?

USPS Overnight is the fastest mail service offered by the US Post Office. It runs year-round, Monday through Saturday. USPS Overnight, or Priority Mail Express, is available in three options depending on your delivery destination:

• Priority Mail Express 1 Day: Guaranteed delivery to most areas by 12 PM or 3 PM the next business day. For an added $5 fee, you can expedite delivery to 10:30 AM the next business day.
  
• Priority Mail Express 2 Day: Guaranteed delivery to any zip code not covered by Express 1 Day. Packages arrive by 12 PM or 3 PM of the second business day. Expedited delivery is available by 10:30 AM on the second business day for an added $5 fee.
• Priority Mail Express International: Guaranteed delivery to 190 countries in 3-5 business days.

Both Priority Mail Express services guarantee their delivery times. This means you can request a full refund of your postage if your package arrives late. You can request a refund within 30 days of the mailing date.

The following features are included in the USPS Overnight.

• Money-back guarantee
• Package tracking
• Insurance up to $100
• Signature confirmation
• Free USPS packaging
• Free package pickup (arrange online)
• Sunday/Holiday delivery (for an added $12.50 fee)

The Cost of USPS Overnight Shipping

USPS Overnight, aka Priority Mail Express, offers guaranteed delivery in 1-2 business days. For Priority Mail International, delivery is guaranteed in 3-5 business days or your money back.

The cost of this service depends on your package weight and delivery destination, primarily. This means heavier packages traveling further will cost more.

That said, USPS lets you choose from three separate methods to determine your cost of service. Your USPS Overnight shipping cost can be calculated with one of the three following methods:

• Weight and zone: Your rate is based on package weight and the shipping zone. In other words, the cost is based on item weight plus distance to delivery. Higher-numbered zones are further away and cost more to ship to. Package weights are rounded up to the next pound and limited to 70 pounds. This is the best for smaller items traveling short distances.
• Dimensional weight: Dimensional weight is a fancy way of saying weight or size, whichever is greater. Your USPS Overnight cost will be based either on the actual weight or box dimensions, whichever costs more. This method is best for compact packages.
• Flat Rate: Flat Rate shipping is compatible with USPS Priority Mail Express. This means you’ll pay a flat price on domestic shipments under 70 pounds, regardless of their weight. This method is best for heavy items.

When you go to create a USPS Overnight shipment, you’ll be asked whether you want to ship Flat Rate or by weight. Generally, heavy packages can get better rates with a Flat Rate.

Related post: 2022 USPS Shipping Rate Changes

We’ll show you how to get the cheapest rate on USPS Overnight in the next section. But for now, here’s every US-domestic USPS Overnight shipping cost in a chart, based on weight and delivery zone.

The Cheapest Way to Ship with USPS Overnight

You can create a USPS Overnight shipment on USPS.com, or with Easyship. Let’s see what our rates are in both cases.

Say we’re shipping a 2-pound hoodie from Denver, CO to Los Angeles, CA. The weight-based prices we see on the USPS site show shipping rates alongside the available packaging. At $26.35, Priority Mail Express Flat Rate gets our hoodie to California by 3 PM the next business day. Turns out Flat Rate was the way to go for the lowest USPS Overnight costs.

Now let's plug the same shipment into Easyship’s “Get a Quote” feature. We see a cheaper rate on USPS Priority Mail Express. With Easyship, we save around $4 on the listed rates for Priority Express on the USPS site. This is because Easyship is a direct partner of USPS, and gives users access to pre-negotiated USPS discount rates. In other words, all USPS shipments are cheaper when booked with Easyship.

What is the Cutoff Time for USPS Overnight?

How late can you drop off your USPS Priority Express package and have it arrive the next business day?

As you might expect, USPS Priority Express shipments go out every night of the week after the closing of business, except Sunday. USPS Overnight trucks leave the Post Office at 6 PM, following the Post Office’s end of business hours. USPS accepts packages up until they close.

To be safe, you have your package at the Post Office no later than 5:30-5:45. The postal clerk will accept your shipment and put it in the outgoing mail box.

Check with your local Post Office about their hours of business. Also ask about the latest cutoff point for accepting Overnight packages, as this may vary. If you’ve arranged for pickup online with USPS, your package should make the outgoing delivery truck.

USPS Overnight Shipping With Easyship

USPS Overnight, aka Priority Mail Express, offers guaranteed delivery in 1-2 business days. You can pay by weight or by Flat Rate prices. Either way, compared to FedEx Overnight, USPS Overnight is cheaper.

Want USPS Overnight costs for less? You can even save more money on your USPS shipments with Easyship. Start by creating a free Easyship account. You’ll save up to 91% off shipping rates from USPS, UPS, FedEx, and more than 550+ courier slutions.

USPS Overnight FAQ

Is USPS overnight reliable?

Yes. USPS overnight is a Priority Mail Express service that offers a delivery guarantee by 3 pm the next day. If your package isn't delivered as promised, you can request a refund of the postage within 30 days.

Is USPS Overnight the same as the next day?

Yes. USPS Overnight is the same as next-day delivery. Packages are delivered the next day by 12:00 p.m or 3 pm.