USPS Announces Holiday Mailing Deadlines To Service Members Abroad
Sailors on the USS Momsen receive mail cargo during a replenishment at sea from the USNS Charles Drew while underway in the Gulf of Oman. (U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Lily Gebauer)
— As the holidays are fast approaching, so are the mailing deadlines to send presents and merriment to friends and loved ones serving away from home. Be prepared and get your letters and packages in the mail in time to ensure their delight this festive season.
To send packages to military and diplomatic addresses abroad, the Postal Service offers a discounted price of $20.95 on its largest Priority Mail Flat Rate Box. The price includes a $1.50 discount per box for mail sent to Air/Army Post Office/Fleet Post Office/Diplomatic Post Office (APO/FPO/DPO) destinations worldwide.
Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes are available at no cost at Post Office locations and can also be ordered via usps.com. Postage, labels and customs forms can also be printed online anytime using the Click-N-Ship feature. All mailing products can be found at the Postal Store
The Postal Service is expecting to process more than 10.1 million pounds of mail for APO/FPO/DPO destinations this holiday season.
To ensure timely delivery by Dec. 25, the Postal Service recommends that cards and packages be sent to military APO/FPO/DPO addresses overseas no later than the mailing dates listed below.
| Military Mail Addressed
To and From |
Priority Mail Express Military Service* | First-Class Mail
Service |
Priority Mail
Service |
Retail Ground
Service |
| APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 090-092 | Dec. 16 | Dec. 9 | Dec. 9 | Nov. 5 |
| APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIP 093 | N/A | Dec. 9 | Dec. 9 | Nov. 5 |
| APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 094-099 | Dec. 16 | Dec. 9 | Dec. 9 | Nov. 5 |
| APO/FPO/DPO AA ZIP 340 | Dec. 16 | Dec. 9 | Dec. 9 | Nov. 5 |
| APO/FPO/DPO AP ZIPs 962-966 | Dec. 16 | Dec. 9 | Dec. 9 | Nov. 5 |
*Priority Mail Express Military Service is available to select military/diplomatic Post Offices. Check with your local Post Office to determine if this service is available to an APO/FPO/DPO address.
Use the Military Care Kit to Send Presents and Care Packages
The Postal Service has created a free Military Care Kit based on the items most frequently requested by military families. The kit contains:
Two Priority Mail APO/FPO Flat Rate Boxes
Four Priority Mail Medium Flat Rate Boxes
Priority Mail tape
Priority Mail address labels
Six custom forms envelopes
To order flat-rate boxes featuring the “America Supports You” logo or a military care kit, call 800-610-8734 or visit the online Postal Store