A Guide for Overnight Shipping
The overnight shipment, also called expedited shipping, is a shipping service that guarantees the delivery of a package to a destination location. Sometimes this may involve a combination of transportation, such as land and air. This service is usually a bit more than normal mail delivery so most people use it to send urgent packages. Now, most of these urgent packages are categorized under lightweight or heavyweight and depending on the nature of the shipment, will be sent via ground freight or air freight. The overnight air can also be delivered internationally, but most mail agencies only guarantee delivery the next day in the US.
Types of Overnight Delivery packages
Just as there are several different mail carrier agencies, there are different types of overnight delivery packages. Depending on what you need to accomplish, the cost of the service may be expensive. Some of the overnight delivery packages are:
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Critical Overnight Delivery
There are many packages that absolutely have to arrive on time, and in some cases, as with medical supplies, it can literally be a matter of life or death. With critical overnight shipments, packages can be guaranteed to get there the very next day to all fifty states, and in some cases shipping to Puerto Rico or ship to Canada. This is because the service offers special air carriage 365 days a year and seven days a week. Most other services only occur during the business week.
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Next Day Air Delivery
By utilizing commercial airlines, next day air packages can be delivered to any major US city in the US. Using modern day technology, like route optimization technology, shipments can be safely and effectively delivered on time when applicable. Next day air is a cost-effective way of getting shipments to the proper locale but carries an even lesser degree of a guarantee than critical overnight.
Benefits of overnight shipping
There is a multiplicity of reasons why the use of overnight shipping is beneficial to those who want to get urgent packages into the right hands consistently.
- You can often have your packages insured for the full value if something happens to it for less than the usual price.
- The carrier service will use different modes of transportation to ensure that you receive the best available courier service.
- You can track your packages online in real time online or via telephone via the use of tracking number.
- With the right company, you can customize your service, especially if there are special requirements and stipulations in the delivery, such as leaving it at the door or letting the recipient sign and receive the package.
- Ability to set up accounts for multiple shipments where you can get discounts.
USPS overnight shipping
With the USPS, the guaranteed overnight service is called Priority Mail Express or sometimes shortened to Express. USPS Priority Mail Express is a guaranteed way to send documents and packages to a destination overnight, including Sundays and holidays. If the US Postal Service does not deliver your package on time, you will be reimbursed the full cost of delivery.
If you are just sending an envelope size letter and do not mind the shipment early in the morning, the answer is easy. A USPS flat rate overnight envelope is sent to “most places” for only $ 17.50, regardless of weight or distance. If you can put it in the envelope, it only costs $ 17.50. USPS is the only overnight carrier that is allowed to deliver packages to a P.O. Address box. Other providers, such as UPS and FedEx, cannot deliver packages to mailboxes in the post office.
UPS overnight shipping
If you are looking for overnight delivery and express delivery services (next business day), you should contact UPS. UPS makes more deliveries overnight, on time and guaranteed in the United States than anyone else. By operating one of the largest aircraft fleets in the world, they have a wide selection of overnight delivery options to meet your defined time delivery needs.
With UPS, the service guaranteed overnight is called UPS Next Day Air. There is a Next Day Air Early if you need the package sent before 9:30 AM (sometimes from 8 AM in many areas). If it does not have to be there until 3 PM or 4:30 PM, you can choose UPS Next Day Air Saver. The price of UPS overnight delivery ranges from $30 to $63.
FedEx overnight shipping
The FedEx Overnight shipment is FedEx’s response to the accelerated deliveries provided by other major operators such as UPS. FedEx promises to deliver your package to its destination by the next business day no matter what. They have streamlined their workflow in such a way that they almost never miss the deadline. And coupled with the latest technologies, their web services like shipment tracking and label generation are really up there.
At FedEx, the guaranteed overnight service is FedEx Overnight. There is FedEx First Overnight for next morning delivery. There is FedEx Priority Overnight for delivery at 10:30 a.m. or afternoon in more remote areas. Finally, there is FedEx Standard Overnight for delivery before 3 PM or 4:30 PM for rural areas and 8 PM in residences. FedEx Standard overnight in half a pound of FedEx envelope starts at $ 46.38. If you need FedEx First Overnight, the price goes up to $ 81.69!
Amazon Overnight shipping
For overnight delivery on Amazon, you can opt for Amazon’s same-day delivery. Order an item that qualifies for Amazon same-day delivery afternoon and you’ll get it the next day. The service is available even seven days a week (except in Boston, where there is no delivery on Saturdays). You’d think that kind of speed would be expensive, but it’s really not. If you have an Amazon Prime membership ($99 per year), same-day delivery is $5.99 for orders under $35, but if you spend more than that, it’s actually free. Without membership, you can still use this fast shipping option, but it will cost a bit more: $ 8.99 plus $ 0.99 per item.
Conclusion- cheapest way for overnight delivery (USPS, UPS and FedEx,)
Each of the services will do everything possible to deliver packages the next day, but there is no service that can do it with 100% success. This article captures the cheapest shipping options available from each of the carriers for any speed and USPS wins in quite a few cases, one being because they have a flat rate envelope that starts at $24.70 and they ships any distance and any weight (that fits), for the quoted price.