Residential and air peak surcharges have increased roughly $0.40–$2.05 per package; large shippers can face up to ~$7.50 (Ground) and ~$8.75 (Air) per package during peak weeks. Recent peak increases ran in the 7–9% range.
Seasonal uplifts originally tied to the Q4 holiday window that have expanded in scope and crept toward year-round application. Per-package amounts are modest but apply to the bulk of e-commerce volume during peak weeks.
Peak (or demand) surcharges are temporary uplifts the carriers apply during high-volume periods — historically the Q4 holiday season, with windows that have widened over time. They apply cumulatively if a piece meets more than one criterion, and they apply on top of all other charges. Because they attach to the highest-volume service modes (Ground, Home Delivery), they touch the vast majority of e-commerce volume during the weeks they are in effect.
Residential and air peak surcharges have increased roughly $0.40–$2.05 per package; large shippers can face up to ~$7.50 (Ground) and ~$8.75 (Air) per package during peak weeks. Recent peak increases ran in the 7–9% range. The trend to watch is scope creep — peak windows lengthening and the conditions broadening, so that what reads as a 'seasonal' fee increasingly behaves like a recurring one.
UPS 2026 Tariff/Terms & Conditions of Service §41 (Demand Surcharges), §42 (Surge Emergency Fees); peak schedules published seasonally at ups.com/rates.