Customer Supplied Box
UPS Letter (up to 0.5 lbs)
UPS Pak
Shipping Details
Next Day Air Saver® (End of Day)
Next Day Air® (Morning)
Next Day Air Early® (Early Morning)
Zone 2 (0-150 miles)
Zone 3 (151-300 miles)
Zone 4 (301-600 miles)
Zone 5 (601-1000 miles)
Zone 6 (1001-1400 miles)
Zone 7 (1401-1800 miles)
Zone 8 (1800+ miles)
Rate Estimate
Billable Weight:–
Base Shipping Charge:–
Fuel Surcharge (~14%):–
Additional Surcharges:–
Total Estimated Cost:–
Note: This is an estimation tool based on average retail rates. Actual costs may vary based on fuel surcharge fluctuations and specific account negotiated rates.
Guide to UPS Next Day Air® Pricing
When shipping time-sensitive packages, UPS Next Day Air is the industry standard for domestic overnight delivery in the United States. However, calculating the exact rate involves several variables including dimensional weight, shipping zones, and specific service levels.
1. Service Level Differences
UPS offers three distinct "Next Day" services, each with different price points and delivery guarantees:
Next Day Air Saver®: The most affordable option. Guarantees delivery by the end of the next business day (typically 3:00 PM or 4:30 PM to commercial destinations, end of day for residential).
Next Day Air®: The standard overnight service. Guarantees delivery by 10:30 AM or 12:00 PM depending on the destination.
Next Day Air Early®: The premium option. Guarantees delivery as early as 8:00 AM to major cities. This service carries a significant premium, often adding $30 or more to the base rate.
2. Actual vs. Dimensional Weight
One of the most common reasons for unexpected shipping costs is Dimensional (Dim) Weight. UPS charges based on the higher of the two: the actual scale weight or the dimensional weight.
For domestic packages, the formula is: (Length × Width × Height) / 139.
Example: A package weighing 5 lbs but measuring 12″x12″x12″ has a volume of 1,728 cubic inches. 1,728 / 139 = 12.43 lbs. UPS rounds this up to 13 lbs. You will be billed for a 13 lb package, not a 5 lb package.
3. Understanding Zones
Shipping rates are determined by the distance the package travels, categorized into "Zones." Zone 2 represents local shipments (within approx. 150 miles), while Zone 8 represents cross-country shipments. A Next Day Air package to Zone 8 can cost 2-3 times more than the same package shipped to Zone 2.
4. Surcharges
The base rate is rarely the final price. Common surcharges included in our calculator are:
Residential Surcharge: Delivering to a home is more expensive than a business.
Fuel Surcharge: A percentage-based fee that fluctuates weekly based on oil prices.
Saturday Delivery: An optional service fee for weekend delivery requirements.
function calculateShipping() {
// 1. Get Inputs
var weightInput = document.getElementById('pkgWeight').value;
var pkgType = document.getElementById('pkgType').value;
var length = document.getElementById('pkgLength').value;
var width = document.getElementById('pkgWidth').value;
var height = document.getElementById('pkgHeight').value;
var serviceLevel = document.getElementById('serviceLevel').value;
var zone = parseInt(document.getElementById('zone').value);
var isResidential = document.getElementById('isResidential').checked;
var satDelivery = document.getElementById('satDelivery').checked;
// 2. Validation
if (!weightInput && pkgType !== 'letter') {
alert("Please enter the package weight.");
return;
}
var actualWeight = parseFloat(weightInput) || 0;
var l = parseFloat(length) || 0;
var w = parseFloat(width) || 0;
var h = parseFloat(height) || 0;
// 3. Calculate Billable Weight
// UPS Divisor is 139 for daily rates
var dimWeight = 0;
if (l > 0 && w > 0 && h > 0) {
dimWeight = Math.ceil((l * w * h) / 139);
}
var billableWeight = Math.ceil(actualWeight); // Actual weight rounds up to next lb
if (pkgType === 'package') {
billableWeight = Math.max(Math.ceil(actualWeight), dimWeight);
} else if (pkgType === 'letter') {
billableWeight = 0; // Flat rate logic handling below
}
// 4. Rate Logic (Approximation of 2024/2025 Retail Rates)
// Base rates roughly estimated based on Zone and Service
// This is a simplified matrix simulation
var baseRate = 0;
// Base starting prices for 1lb / Letter
var basePrices = {
'saver': { 2: 32.00, 3: 38.00, 4: 48.00, 5: 58.00, 6: 70.00, 7: 80.00, 8: 90.00 },
'standard': { 2: 38.00, 3: 45.00, 4: 65.00, 5: 75.00, 6: 88.00, 7: 98.00, 8: 108.00 },
'early': { 2: 68.00, 3: 75.00, 4: 95.00, 5: 105.00, 6: 118.00, 7: 128.00, 8: 138.00 }
};
// Cost per additional lb (Approximation)
var costPerLb = {
'saver': { 2: 1.50, 3: 2.00, 4: 2.50, 5: 3.50, 6: 4.50, 7: 5.50, 8: 6.50 },
'standard': { 2: 1.75, 3: 2.25, 4: 3.00, 5: 4.00, 6: 5.00, 7: 6.00, 8: 7.00 },
'early': { 2: 1.75, 3: 2.25, 4: 3.00, 5: 4.00, 6: 5.00, 7: 6.00, 8: 7.00 }
};
// Determine Base Cost
if (pkgType === 'letter') {
// Letters are roughly 70% of the 1lb package price
baseRate = basePrices[serviceLevel][zone] * 0.85;
billableWeight = "Letter";
} else {
// Package Base Rate + Weight Calculation
var startingRate = basePrices[serviceLevel][zone];
var lbIncrement = costPerLb[serviceLevel][zone];
// First lb is covered in startingRate, calculate remaining
var additionalWeight = Math.max(0, billableWeight – 1);
baseRate = startingRate + (additionalWeight * lbIncrement);
}
// 5. Calculate Surcharges
var surchargeTotal = 0;
var resFee = 0;
var satFee = 0;
// Residential Surcharge (Approx $5.85 retail)
if (isResidential) {
resFee = 5.85;
surchargeTotal += resFee;
}
// Saturday Delivery (Approx $16.00 retail)
if (satDelivery) {
satFee = 16.00;
surchargeTotal += satFee;
}
// Fuel Surcharge (Dynamic, hardcoded at typical 14.5% for this estimation)
var fuelRate = 0.145;
var fuelCost = (baseRate + surchargeTotal) * fuelRate;
// 6. Total Calculation
var totalCost = baseRate + surchargeTotal + fuelCost;
// 7. Display Results
var displayWeight = (typeof billableWeight === 'number') ? billableWeight + " lbs" : billableWeight;
document.getElementById('resBillableWeight').innerText = displayWeight;
document.getElementById('resBaseRate').innerText = "$" + baseRate.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById('resFuel').innerText = "$" + fuelCost.toFixed(2);
var extraSurchargesText = "$" + surchargeTotal.toFixed(2);
if (isResidential) extraSurchargesText += " (Res)";
if (satDelivery) extraSurchargesText += " (Sat)";
if (surchargeTotal === 0) extraSurchargesText = "$0.00";
document.getElementById('resSurcharges').innerText = extraSurchargesText;
document.getElementById('resTotal').innerText = "$" + totalCost.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById('results').style.display = "block";
}