Amazon Shipping Hikes Peak Season Fees Amid Competition with UPS and FedEx

Amazon Shipping announced it will apply peak season surcharges from October 25 to January 16, 2027, for its U.S. ground package delivery service. The fees are higher than last year's holiday charges and include a per-package fee and surcharges for large, heavy or extra handling packages. These temporary charges take effect automatically during the applicable dates and come in addition to customers' existing contracted rates.

The price of these peak season surcharges peaks from November 22 to December 26, with the highest rate being $117.50 for a large package. Amazon Shipping's holiday fees mirror comparable fees levied by UPS and FedEx this year, but do not include a volume-based surcharge like those applied by its competitors.

The upcoming peak season is poised to be an expensive one for parcel shippers, with businesses already contending with heightened delivery rates driven by hefty fuel surcharges. Amazon's 3.5% fuel and logistics surcharge that began in April will apply on top of the fees for users of other Amazon services, including Fulfillment by Amazon, Remote Fulfillment with FBA, Multi-Channel Fulfillment and Buy with Prime.