The cost to ship packages via the U.S. Postal Service may be temporarily higher this holiday season if a Postal Service price hike is approved. (Marc Castaneda/Stars and Stripes)
The U.S. Postal Service is planning a temporary price hike for some deliveries during the 2025 holiday season, a move that could raise costs for packages to and from overseas military addresses.
The proposed changes, filed Aug. 11 with the Postal Regulatory Commission, would take effect Oct. 5 and remain in place until Jan. 18, according to an email notice to customers from the Military Postal Service Agency.
The fee increase would be applied according to package weight and postal zone destination. Fee hikes range from 30 cents to $16.
“As long as our package gets there, that’s all that really matters,” Haydee Lake, a military spouse, said outside the post office at Yokota Air Base, Japan. “It’s the holidays so people are already expected to spend money. You could just ship the packages earlier to avoid the cost and stress altogether.”
Lake also suggested commercial options, such as Pirate Ship, which saved her money in the past, although they may not be available overseas.
The seasonal adjustment is aimed at covering extra handling costs during the agency’s busiest time of year, according to the email notice.
For example, under the proposal, a 10-pound Priority Mail package sent from the United States to an Army Post Office address in Japan — roughly equivalent to Zone 5 rates — would cost $1.45 more for retail customers during the peak season. A similar package sent via Priority Mail Express could increase by $4.85.
The same package from U.S. to Europe, which falls under Zone 9, would incur similar price hikes.
The highest rate increase — $16 — would apply to Priority Mail Express packages between 26 and 70 pounds shipped in Zones 5 through 9, according to the Military Postal Service.
The price hikes would apply to Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express and U.S. Postal Service Ground Advantage, which also apply to shipments sent to APO and Fleet Post Office addresses overseas.
No changes are planned for first-class mail letters or other services.
If approved, the rates would automatically revert to current levels after Jan. 18.
More details on the proposed rates are available at www.usps.com and through local military post offices.
