Post can travel
The USA is forecast to be our leading international destination for festive greetings from the UK in 2020.
While our own travel is set to be restricted, parcels and letters will have no problems getting overseas.
The top five international destinations for letters and parcels this Christmas are expected to be:
- United States
- Australia
- Republic of Ireland
- France
- Canada
The findings come as we remind customers of the latest recommended International Standard posting dates to ensure cards and gifts for loved ones arrive in time for Christmas 2020.
With global coronavirus restrictions expected to be in place over the festive season, we are encouraging customers to ‘Shop early, send early for Christmas’, to ensure their cards and gifts reach family and friends abroad in time for the big day.
Customers can also pay for postage online using our Click & Drop service at https://parcel.royalmail.com. They can pay for postage, print labels and take items to over 14,000 locations including 24-hour parcel postboxes, customer service points and Post Office branches.
International Standard service
The latest recommended posting dates apply to both International Standard and International tracking and signature services.
Latest recommended posting dates are detailed below:
- Friday 4 December – Australia, New Zealand
- Wednesday 9 December – Africa, Asia, Caribbean, Central & South America, Far East, Middle East
- Thursday 10 December – Canada, Cyprus, Malta
- Friday 11 December – Eastern Europe (except Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia), Greece, Turkey
- Saturday 12 December – Czech Republic, Italy, Poland, Finland, Sweden, USA
- Wednesday 16 December – Austria, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain and Switzerland
- Friday 18 December – Belgium, France, Ireland, Luxembourg
For those wishing to send festive cards and gifts to servicemen abroad, the British Forces Post Office (BFPO) deadlines are:
- Thursday 30 November for mail to Operational BFPOs
- Thursday 7 December for mail to static BFPOs.
