LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The deadline to get packages shipped in time for Christmas is closing in.

Dec. 18, 2024 is the last day to ship a package using UPS ground to ensure it arrives for Christmas, according to UPS.

It’s that time of the year and it’s likely you have or might go to The UPS Store.

“It feels a lot busier than we were last year,” said Ben Wells, manager of the Jeffersontown store.

Wells said this is the busiest time of year and there are often lines out the door. He said the entire crew is clocked in and working to get packages on their way.

“What’s interesting is when you see the same people year after year, and it’s weird how you remember the people that they ship things to and the things that they’ve shipped their aunt or, you know, grandma for Christmas,” Wells said.

It’s likely that your package could come through the UPS Worldport in Louisville.

Miles of conveyor belts at UPS Worldport carry and sort packages to ensure they arrive at their destinations. UPS says the packages are only touched twice by human hands. (Spectrum News 1/Tyler O'Neill)

“The miles the conveyor belt takes the packages along and ensures that packages make it to their destination on time. The packages are only touched twice by human hands and are processed in as little as 13 minutes from start to finish,” said Mechelle Stanchfield, UPS Media Relations Supervisor.

Typically, two million packages go through the facility, but during the peak season that number, Stanchfield said, nearly doubles.

“So you do the math, that’s a lot of packages going out of this facility each day,” Stanchfield said.

Typically, two million packages go through the UPS Worldport, but, according to UPS, during the peak season that number nearly doubles. (Spectrum News 1/Tyler O'Neill)

UPS said it hired 125,000 seasonal workers for this peak season, which Stanchfield said is especially busy.

“This year in particular is a shortened holiday season between Black Friday and Christmas, with the number of shipping days, so that decline in number of shipping days means more volume coming through,” she said.

Stanchfield and The UPS Store recommended shipping as early as possible.

“Give it an extra day, so if you look online and it says it’s going to take three days, give us four because it’s that time of year, anything could happen. There could be bad weather, volume, anything could happen,” Wells said.

The busy season continues for |The UPS Store when returns start rolling in next month.

Most of UPS’ shipping deadlines are this week.

Dec. 18, 2024, is the last day for UPS ground shipping. Dec. 19, 2024, is the last day for three-day select.

And Friday Dec. 20, 2024, is second day air’s last day and Dec. 23 is the last day for UPS’ next day air shipping.