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Every December someone in the family finds out the hard way that the Tim Tams for Auntie in London needed to go a fortnight ago. This page puts Australia Post’s official 2026 Christmas dates in one spot, so you can work backwards and get the box in the post with time to spare.
Every date below is copied from Australia Post’s own Christmas cut-off dates page. We haven’t added, rounded or guessed any of them.
How we put this together
- Official dates only. Every date is from auspost.com.au/christmas, as we read it on 31 October 2026. If a date isn’t on that page, it isn’t here.
- Copied, not rewritten. Dates are shown the way Australia Post shows them, including its short format (such as “Tue 22/12”) in the domestic Parcel Post table.
- Check before you post. Australia Post says the overseas dates “are a guide for senders only” and “subject to change”, so open the official page on the day you post. It’s the one to trust if anything here differs.
- No prices of our own. The only postage prices on this page are the ones Australia Post lists on its Christmas page, with the check date.
The short version
- Australia Post asks you to send Christmas parcels “as early as possible”, and by the cut-off dates, to help them arrive by Christmas Day.
- Parcels sent after the cut-off will still be delivered as quickly as possible, but they may not arrive until after Christmas.
- Overseas: the earliest common cut-off is Rest of world Economy Air: 24 November 2026. The USA’s Economy Air date is 30 November 2026. The UK’s is 4 December 2026.
- Within Australia: the last Express Post dates are Wed 23 December 2026 for most metro sending, and Tue 22 December 2026 for items going to WA, to the NT and from WA.
Sending overseas: 2026 Christmas dates by service
Australia Post’s summary table gives these recommended dates. The columns are its four main international services: Courier, Express, Standard and Economy Air (Economy Air parcels and International Post Registered letters).
| Sending to | Courier parcels & letters | Express parcels & letters | Standard parcels | Economy Air parcels & Registered letters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | 17 December 2026 | 15 December 2026 | 9 December 2026 | 2 December 2026 |
| USA | 17 December 2026 | 11 December 2026 | 7 December 2026 | 30 November 2026 |
| Canada | 17 December 2026 | 14 December 2026 | 8 December 2026 | 1 December 2026 |
| UK | 17 December 2026 | 15 December 2026 | 11 December 2026 | 4 December 2026 |
| Major European destinations | 15 December 2026 | 14 December 2026 | 11 December 2026 | 4 December 2026 |
| China | 15 December 2026 | 8 December 2026 | 4 December 2026 | 27 November 2026 |
| East/Southeast Asia | 15 December 2026 | 11 December 2026 | 7 December 2026 | 30 November 2026 |
| Rest of world | N/A | 4 December 2026 | 1 December 2026 | 24 November 2026 |
Source: Australia Post, Christmas cut-off dates, checked 31 October 2026.
A few popular destinations from the full list
The official page also has an A to Z list of countries, and some have a separate Economy parcels column. For the places Aussie expats most often end up:
| Destination | Courier | Express | Standard | Economy parcels | Economy Air & Registered letters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Singapore | 15 December 2026 | 11 December 2026 | 7 December 2026 | 30 November 2026 | 30 November 2026 |
| Hong Kong | 15 December 2026 | 11 December 2026 | 7 December 2026 | 30 November 2026 | 30 November 2026 |
| Japan | 15 December 2026 | 11 December 2026 | 7 December 2026 | Not available | 30 November 2026 |
| Ireland | 15 December 2026 | 14 December 2026 | 11 December 2026 | 4 December 2026 | 4 December 2026 |
| Germany | Suspended | 14 December 2026 | 11 December 2026 | 4 December 2026 | 4 December 2026 |
| United Arab Emirates | 15 December 2026 | 7 December 2026 | 1 December 2026 | Not available | 24 November 2026 |
If your country isn’t here, search it on the official page. Some services to some countries are listed as “Suspended” or “Not available”, so check yours before you pack the box.
Three things that change your overseas date
- Where you’re posting from. Australia Post says items sent from South Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory must travel interstate before leaving Australia. It suggests adding 2 business days for Express and 5 business days for Standard and Economy.
- Regional and rural addresses. The estimates are for metro-to-metro sending. Items to and from regional and rural areas “will likely take longer”.
- Customs at the other end. Australia Post notes that overseas deliveries can be held up by customs delays and overseas postal disruptions, and says it’s best to send as early as you can. Food parcels are the most likely to be checked. Our guide to sending Aussie food overseas covers the US, New Zealand and the UK.
Sending within Australia: Parcel Post
These dates are for Parcel Post between metro locations. Australia Post says over-the-counter Parcel Post items must be lodged by 2.30pm, and you should allow extra time if you’re sending outside a metro area. Read across from where you’re sending, and down to where it’s going.
| From ↓ / To → | NSW* | ACT | Vic* | Qld* | SA | WA | Tas | NT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NSW* | Tue 22/12 | Mon 21/12 | Mon 21/12 | Mon 21/12 | Mon 21/12 | Fri 18/12 | Mon 21/12 | Wed 16/12 |
| ACT | Mon 21/12 | Tue 22/12 | Mon 21/12 | Mon 21/12 | Mon 21/12 | Fri 18/12 | Mon 21/12 | Wed 16/12 |
| Vic* | Mon 21/12 | Mon 21/12 | Tue 22/12 | Mon 21/12 | Mon 21/12 | Fri 18/12 | Mon 21/12 | Wed 16/12 |
| Qld* | Mon 21/12 | Mon 21/12 | Mon 21/12 | Tue 22/12 | Mon 21/12 | Thu 17/12 | Fri 18/12 | Mon 14/12 |
| SA | Mon 21/12 | Mon 21/12 | Mon 21/12 | Mon 21/12 | Tue 22/12 | Fri 18/12 | Mon 21/12 | Thu 17/12 |
| WA | Fri 18/12 | Fri 18/12 | Fri 18/12 | Thu 17/12 | Fri 18/12 | Tue 22/12 | Wed 16/12 | Mon 14/12 |
| Tas | Mon 21/12 | Mon 21/12 | Mon 21/12 | Fri 18/12 | Mon 21/12 | Wed 16/12 | Tue 22/12 | Mon 14/12 |
| NT | Wed 16/12 | Wed 16/12 | Wed 16/12 | Thu 17/12 | Thu 17/12 | Thu 17/12 | Mon 14/12 | Tue 22/12 |
* Australia Post says parcels sent to or from Geelong, Gold Coast and Newcastle follow the metro dates above.
Source: Australia Post, Christmas cut-off dates, checked 31 October 2026.
Sending to the South West? If you’re posting gifts to family in Margaret River or anywhere outside Perth, remember the WA column is for metro addresses, so allow extra time. (While you’re at it, our Margaret River gifts guide has ideas for things to send the other way.)
Sending within Australia: Express Post
Express Post dates, again for metro locations, with the same 2.30pm over-the-counter lodgement time:
| Sending to/from metro only | Cut-off date |
|---|---|
| NSW, ACT, Vic, Qld, SA, Tas and within same state* | Wed 23 December 2026 |
| To WA, NT and from WA | Tue 22 December 2026 |
Australia Post also notes that some items, such as large freight and dangerous goods, may not be suitable for air transport, so check its dangerous goods rules if your parcel has anything like perfume or batteries in it.
Christmas cards and letters
| Regular Post (to/from metro locations) | Date |
|---|---|
| Same state | 21 December 2026 |
| Interstate | 18 December 2026 |
Postage prices at time of writing (Australia Post’s Christmas page, checked 31 October 2026): a Christmas card within Australia costs 65c during November and December, and a Christmas card overseas costs $3.50 to anywhere in the world. Both need a sealed envelope clearly marked “Card Only”, and there are size and weight limits listed on the page.
Norfolk Island, Lord Howe Island, and Christmas and Cocos Islands
These have their own tables, and the dates depend on which state you send from. Australia Post asks you to speak to your local Post Office for the exact date for your location. A few to know:
- Norfolk Island, Parcel Post: the latest listed date is Tue 17 November 2026 (from Qld). From WA and the NT it’s Wed 11 November 2026.
- Lord Howe Island, Parcel Post: from Mon 30 November 2026 (from WA and the NT) to Mon 7 December 2026 (from Qld).
- Christmas and Cocos Islands, Parcel Post: the listed dates are in October 2026, so if you haven’t posted yet, look at Express Post. Its listed date is Mon 7 December 2026 from every state.
See the official page for the full island tables, including Express Post and letters.
How to beat the cut-off without stress
- Pick the service first, then the date. For most overseas gifts the gap between Economy Air and Express is one to two weeks. If you’re cutting it fine, the faster service may be the only one left.
- Post a week early anyway. The dates are the last recommended day, not a guarantee. Australia Post’s own advice is to send “as early as possible”.
- Fill in the customs form properly. List each item clearly. Vague labels such as “gift” can slow a parcel down at the other end.
- Order direct from makers who ship overseas. Many have their own Christmas shipping dates. Check the seller’s shipping page, as these won’t match Australia Post’s.
- Missed it? A gift that doesn’t need posting can still arrive on time. A symbolic wildlife adoption can come with a printable or emailed certificate, depending on the organisation.
More from Gumnutly
- Christmas gifts for Aussie expats missing home
- Best Australian-made gifts to send overseas
- Sending Aussie food overseas: what the US, NZ and UK let in
- All our gift guides
Written by our editors. All dates are Australia Post’s own, copied from auspost.com.au/christmas on 31 October 2026, and may change. Last checked: 31 October 2026.