How long UPS usually takes
UPS Ground takes 1 to 5 business days within the contiguous US: nearby addresses are usually 1–2 days and coast to coast 4–5. The air services take a set number of business days: 3 Day Select 3, 2nd Day Air 2, and Next Day Air the next business day.
What counts as a day
UPS counts business days: the day you ship doesn't count, and weekends and holidays don't either. A 3-day Ground shipment sent Thursday is due the following Tuesday. Get it to UPS before the day's cutoff, or it leaves the next business day. Work out the exact day.
Is UPS faster than FedEx or USPS?
On most routes UPS Ground and FedEx Ground take the same number of days, and USPS Ground Advantage is similar or a day slower. See which carrier is fastest.
Getting the exact date
These are estimates from the distance between your ZIP codes and the carrier's published service windows. For the exact date on a specific shipment, use UPS's transit-time tool at ups.com. Holiday peak (mid-November to late December) can add a day or more.
Service information checked November 2026.
Compare with the other carriers on the all-carrier calculator, or see the last day to ship for Christmas.
Questions people ask
How long does UPS Ground take?
1 to 5 business days within the contiguous US, depending on distance. Nearby addresses are often 1–2 days and cross-country 4–5. Alaska and Hawaii take longer.
Is UPS Ground the same speed both ways?
Usually close, but not always identical: it depends on the carrier's hubs, so A to B can differ from B to A by a day. Check UPS's tool for the exact route.
What's the difference between 2nd Day Air and 3 Day Select?
2nd Day Air is scheduled for the second business day and 3 Day Select for the third, wherever it's going in the contiguous US.