USPS First Class Package Time – General Information And Guidance

By Phillip Adcock
Last updated: Jan 8, 2023
USPS First Class Package Time

USPS is widely known as a good package delivery service in America and worldwide. There are diverse options to choose from, varying based on the type of goods and the delivery time. 

There are six types of delivery services in general, each of which has different limits. In this post, we will dive deep into the USPS first class package time to help you decide whether it is a proper choice for you or not.

Is The Usps First Class Package Fast?

Yes, it is. USPS offers six services in general, and first-class, just like its name, ranks 2nd place in terms of delivery time. 

To be specific, when arriving at the USPS office, you will see six options to select: first-class mail, first-class package, Priority, priority express, retail ground, and media mail. First-class and Priority are top 2 choices for their flexibility and speed.

If you choose the first class service, your package will arrive at the place within 1 to a maximum of 5 days. For the parcels, the USPS first class package time is three days while it is five days for parcel ones.

How Long Does The Usps First Class Package Take?

The answer varies based on the location you send it to. If you are sending within the US, then the general USPS first class shipping time is about one to five business days. When you are sending paper mail, envelopes, or “flat” parcels, the deadline is five days. Please take note that the mail must be under 3.5 ounces.

Usps First Class Package time map
Usps First Class Package time map

On the other hand, if you want to deliver not-flat mails such as parcels, the delivery time is shorter: 3 days. However, remember that the parcel should weigh less than 13 ounces.

What about delivering the package internationally? Well, the time will be stretched because of customs procedures. Normally, it will take you one to four weeks. Specifically, the USPS will pass off your packages to the local shipping services, then the services in the designated country will handle them. The situation is similar to USPS priority mail services – for the domestics, it takes three to five days, but international packages will need ten days to reach the receiver.

Q&As

Why Is Usps First Class So Slow?

USPS first class is considered a fair, reliable, and affordable delivery service that more than millions of Americans use daily. Thus, with a huge load of orders they receive every day, there is a chance of your request being delayed because of an unexpected incident. However, the rate is low!

If you send the package or mail outside the US, please understand that USPS won’t handle the delivery, but the local postal service themselves, so the problem is not on the USPS side!

Which Is Faster, Usps First Class Of Priority?

Even though First-Class service is fast, it still loses the top tier place over Priority service. If you want the package to arrive at the receiver’s place within one or two days, you’d better use the Priority. According to the official release from the USPS website, Priority Express, they guarantee to deliver your package at the place within only ONE day, or a maximum of 2 days before 6 PM (working hours). For Priority ones, you only need to wait three days maximum.

In contrast, for First-class service, it depends on the distance of delivery. If you send it within 600 miles, you must wait three days. In case the place is further than 1000 miles, the first class USPS shipping time may be stretched to five days. You can see the difference, right?

Let’s take the comparison to a higher extension. If you send a package internationally using Priority services, your receivers will have it within ten days. For First-class, well, we cannot guarantee, but the general USPS first class shipping time is thirty days.

Are First-Class Packages Delayed?

From 2021 to deficit the budgets for the company, there are some types of first-class mails delayed longer than normal. Particularly, that is periodicals and marketing mail. 

For the periodicals, it will take three to nine days to reach the receivers, while the waiting time is three to ten days for Marketing mails. Meanwhile, other mails except these two types will still be delivered as normal.

If you send a flat mail to your parents using first class, they will receive it within one to five days as usual. However, when you send monthly magazines to your readers, they may need to wait for nine days to have them.

How Do I Track A Usps First Class Package?

When you pay for the USPS first class package service, the tracking barcode is also included in the combo. You can see the bottom of the shipping label to find out the number, enter the USPS tracking website, then input that number to find out the status of your parcels.

In case you send the mail through first-class service; unfortunately, there is no way to track it. But, you can register for a free “confirmed delivery” or $3.75 “certified mail” service to get the alert email when the package arrives at the designated place. Please note that it only informs you when the package arrives, not the specific destination while delivering.

Conclusion

We have studied USPS first class package time through this post. Compared to the other six services that USPS offers in the meantime, first-class seems to be the best choice overall. The delayed rate is also low, making it a great service to pay for. 

Hope this article provides you with helpful insights into your question!

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* Disclaimer: We do not buy, sell or provide service, we only share with you our trusted sources, and experience. In case of any changes in the products or services of the companies, all the information below is supposed to change at any time.

Phillip Adcock is the founder and Managing Director of the research agency Shopping Behaviour Xplained (SBXL), a shopping research organization using psychological consumer insight to explain and help consumers answer their questions about stores and services.

1 Comment
  1. John Woodham

    My message was modified in a way that I didn’t want it changed! I’m trying to track a package!

    Reply
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