Peak season is when your business needs shipping to work hardest. To maintain the service quality and capacity you rely on during the highest-demand weeks, Amazon Shipping applies a per-package peak surcharge during defined windows each year.
Your 2026 peak surcharge windows
Amazon Shipping publishes peak surcharge windows in advance so you can plan your costs before the volume arrives.
Peak surcharges will apply during three high-demand periods in the 2026 holiday season. Amounts vary by period and by package type.
- October 25 – November 21, 2026
- November 22 – December 26, 2026
- December 27, 2026 – January 16, 2027
During these three periods, a per-package peak surcharge will apply as outlined below. Additionally, as listed in the Service Guide, additional surcharges will apply if individual packages meet the criteria for additional handling, large package, and/or extra heavy package fees.* The amount of those surcharges will be increased by the following amounts during peak season as reflected in the table below.
Surcharge amounts by period and shipment type
Demand Surcharge Criteria |
Oct 25 – Nov 21, 2026 |
Nov 22 – Dec 26, 2026 |
Dec 27, 2026 – Jan 16, 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
Per-package Demand Surcharge |
$0.50 |
$0.75 |
$0.50 |
Additional Handling Fee |
$8.75 |
$11.90 |
$8.75 |
Large Package Fee |
$96.25 |
$117.50 |
$96.25 |
Extra Heavy Package Fee |
$530 |
$590 |
$530 |
What stays the same through peak season
Throughout peak season, everything else about your Amazon Shipping experience remains unchanged:
- No additional residential surcharges.
- No weekend delivery fees.
- Seven-day delivery, subject to local availability.
- End-to-end tracking with photo on delivery where available, predictive delivery windows, and customer notifications by email or SMS.
- Simple claims, with easy filing from your Amazon Shipping account.
- Dedicated support seven days a week through help pages, email, live chat, and scheduled callbacks.
Getting help
Already shipping with us? No action is required. Peak pricing applies automatically during the dates above. For questions, contact us through your Amazon Shipping account or your account manager.
Note: Demand surcharges are additional to your contracted rates.
*Peak surcharges are a subcategory of demand surcharges outlined in the service guide.