No, UPS 3 Day Select doesn’t count weekends. UPS commits to delivery by the end of the third business day, and business days run Monday through Friday, so Saturday, Sunday and UPS holidays don’t count toward the three days. In select areas a 3 Day Select package can still be delivered on a Saturday, at no extra charge for homes, and UPS Saturday deliveries generally arrive during the same daytime hours as weekday residential routes.
Below is how the count works for each ship day, when a Saturday arrival is possible, and what time Saturday deliveries come.
Does UPS 3 Day Select Include Weekends?
UPS 3 Day Select delivers “by the end of the third business day” to the 48 contiguous states, according to UPS’s Rate and Service Guide. The day you ship is day zero, and the count starts on the next business day. Weekends and UPS holidays are skipped.
The package keeps moving through the UPS network over the weekend, but those days don’t count toward the commitment. That’s why a 3 Day Select shipment sent on a Wednesday is due on Monday rather than Saturday. For a side-by-side look at the cheaper option, see our comparison of UPS 3 Day Select vs Ground.
When Will a 3 Day Select Package Arrive?
Count three business days from the day after you ship. This chart assumes no UPS holidays in the week.
| Ship day | Due by end of day | Possible earlier Saturday arrival? |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Thursday | No |
| Tuesday | Friday | No |
| Wednesday | Monday | Possibly, in Saturday delivery areas |
| Thursday | Tuesday | No |
| Friday | Wednesday | No |
A holiday adds a business day. If Monday is a UPS holiday, a Wednesday shipment is due Tuesday instead. Check the UPS holiday schedule before a long weekend, and our guide on whether UPS delivers on Labor Day covers that holiday.
Can UPS 3 Day Select Deliver on Saturday?
Yes, in select areas. The UPS Tariff says Saturday delivery is available for UPS 3 Day Select and UPS Ground within Saturday Ground service territories, “but not by request.” Residential deliveries there carry no extra charge, according to UPS’s Rate and Service Guide.
Business addresses work differently. A business in a Saturday Ground service territory has to have a UPS Saturday Scheduled Pickup and opt in to receive 3 Day Select and Ground deliveries on Saturdays. A shipper can also pay to have 3 Day Select packages delivered to a business customer on Saturday when that customer hasn’t opted in.
Your tracking page shows the scheduled delivery date, including a Saturday when one applies. For the complete weekend rules across all services, see our guide to whether UPS delivers on Saturdays.
What Time Does UPS Deliver on Saturday?
UPS doesn’t publish a separate Saturday delivery window for ground-type services. UPS says Ground packages are generally delivered to residences between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m., sometimes later, and Saturday routes in Saturday delivery areas follow that residential pattern. A 3 Day Select or Ground package can come at any point in that window.
Air shipments sent with the Saturday Delivery option have a committed delivery time that depends on the destination, and UPS shows it when the shipment is created. Weekday commitments for UPS Next Day Air range from 10:30 a.m. to end of day for businesses, and from noon to end of day for residences, so check the Saturday commitment for your specific ZIP Code.
To narrow the window for a particular package:
- Check the estimated delivery time on the UPS tracking page.
- Use a free UPS My Choice account for the estimated window and delivery alerts.
- Request a confirmed 2-hour window through My Choice, which carries a fee unless you have Premium’s free requests.
Our guide on what time UPS delivers in your ZIP code and how long it takes covers weekday timing and transit by distance.
Which UPS Services Deliver on Weekends?
UPS delivers on Saturday for several services, but no regular UPS service delivers on Sunday.
| UPS service | Delivery commitment | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|
| UPS Ground | 1 to 5 business days | Select areas, no request | No |
| UPS 3 Day Select | End of third business day | Select areas, no request | No |
| UPS 2nd Day Air | End of second business day | By request (ship Thursday) | No |
| UPS Next Day Air | Next business day | By request (ship Friday) | No |
| UPS Next Day Air Saver | Next business day, later time | Not available | No |
Air services need the Saturday Delivery option selected on the label, plus a Saturday Delivery routing label, and an additional charge applies. Read more in our guides to UPS Next Day Air shipping, UPS services and shipping options and whether UPS Express Saver delivers on Saturday. Sunday is covered in our guide on whether UPS delivers on Sunday.
Is UPS 3 Day Select Guaranteed?
Not at the moment. UPS’s Service Guarantee page says the guarantee is currently active only for certain services: UPS Next Day Air Early, Next Day Air, Next Day Air Saver and 2nd Day Air A.M. domestically, plus several international express services. It remains suspended for all other services, which includes UPS 3 Day Select.
The end-of-third-business-day commitment still sets the scheduled delivery date, and most packages follow it. If your shipment must arrive by a certain day, build in a buffer or choose a service that UPS currently guarantees. Packages up to 150 lbs. and 108 inches long can ship with 3 Day Select, the same limits listed in our UPS size and weight limits guide.
How Can You Ship UPS 3 Day Select for Less?
3 Day Select sits between UPS Ground and UPS 2nd Day Air on price and speed, so it’s worth comparing all three for each package. Sometimes Ground arrives just as quickly for a short distance.
ParcelPath is free, with no subscription or per-label fees, and gives you up to 85% off UPS and up to 89% off USPS retail rates. Compare 3 Day Select with other UPS and USPS services for your package in the ParcelPath rate calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does UPS 3 Day Select deliver on Saturday?
Sometimes. UPS 3 Day Select can be delivered on Saturday within UPS’s Saturday Ground service territories, at no extra charge for residential addresses, but you can’t request it. Saturdays still don’t count as business days. Businesses must opt in to receive Saturday deliveries, and outside those areas, packages are delivered on the next business day.
If I ship UPS 3 Day Select on Friday, when will it arrive?
A UPS 3 Day Select package shipped on Friday is due by the end of the day on the following Wednesday, as long as there are no UPS holidays that week. Saturday and Sunday don’t count as business days, so the three days are Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
What time does UPS deliver on Saturday?
UPS doesn’t publish a separate Saturday window for Ground or 3 Day Select. UPS says residential Ground deliveries generally arrive between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m., and Saturday routes follow that pattern. Air packages sent with Saturday Delivery have a committed time based on the destination, shown when the shipment is created.
Can I add Saturday delivery to UPS 3 Day Select?
Not for a home address. Saturday delivery of 3 Day Select packages happens automatically in Saturday Ground service territories and can’t be requested. For a business customer that hasn’t opted in, the shipper can pay for Saturday commercial delivery when creating the shipment. It can’t be added after the package has shipped.
Does UPS 3 Day Select have a money-back guarantee?
Not currently. UPS’s Service Guarantee page lists the guarantee as active only for Next Day Air Early, Next Day Air, Next Day Air Saver and 2nd Day Air A.M. among domestic services. It remains suspended for other services, including UPS 3 Day Select.
Sources
- UPS Rate and Service Guide, Daily Rates (service commitments and weekend services)
- UPS Tariff/Terms and Conditions of Service, United States (Section 33, Saturday Delivery)
- UPS: Domestic Shipping Services
- UPS: Service Guarantee
- UPS: Tracking Support
Explore more in our Shipping Services and Solutions hub.
Part of our UPS Services guide. Related: UPS Size and Weight Limits, UPS Shipping: Rates, Tracking and Services, UPS Next Day Air Shipping.
