No, UPS Express Saver doesn’t normally deliver on Saturday. It’s a business-day service that UPS describes as typically delivered by end of day, so a package that would be due on a weekend usually arrives the next business day. If you need a Saturday arrival, choose a service UPS lists with Saturday delivery, such as UPS Next Day Air, UPS 2nd Day Air or, for international shipments to many regions, UPS Standard.
The name causes some confusion, because UPS uses “Saver” for more than one service. This guide explains which one you’re shipping with and which UPS services do cover Saturday.
What Is UPS Express Saver?
UPS Express Saver is UPS’s international express service with an end-of-day delivery commitment. Shipments from the United States are sold under the name UPS Worldwide Saver, which UPS lists in its 1 to 3 business day group. UPS’s international service pages describe Express Saver as typically delivered by end of day, and note it may take up to 5 business days depending on the destination.
It sits below UPS Worldwide Express and Worldwide Express Plus, which commit to earlier delivery times, and above UPS Worldwide Expedited, which UPS lists at 2 to 5 business days. Our page on UPS Worldwide Saver covers transit details for U.S. exports.
| UPS service | Typical delivery (per UPS) | Saturday delivery listed by UPS? |
|---|---|---|
| UPS Worldwide Express Plus | By 8:30 or 9:00 a.m. | Not listed on UPS’s service page |
| UPS Worldwide Express | By 10:30 a.m. or noon | Not listed on UPS’s service page |
| UPS Express Saver / Worldwide Saver | By end of day, 1 to 3 business days (up to 5) | Not listed |
| UPS Worldwide Expedited | 2 to 5 business days, end of day | Not listed |
| UPS Standard (international) | 2 to 7 business days, day-definite | Yes, for most regions |
Why Doesn’t UPS Express Saver Count Saturday?
UPS states Express Saver’s transit times in business days, and Saturday isn’t a business day. A shipment due on the second business day after a Thursday pickup is due on Monday, not Saturday.
The UPS Tariff says Saturday Delivery is offered by request “for certain Delivery areas for certain UPS Air Services and international services,” as set out in the service guide, with an extra charge for each shipment. UPS’s service pages list Saturday delivery for domestic Next Day Air and 2nd Day Air, and for UPS Standard internationally, but not for Express Saver. If your lane is unusual, check the services your UPS shipping software offers for that destination before relying on a weekend arrival.
Weekend drop-offs don’t help either. A package you leave at a UPS location on Saturday or Sunday generally starts moving on the next business day, so the transit clock begins on Monday.
Which UPS Services Can Deliver on Saturday?
In the U.S., UPS’s domestic service page lists Saturday delivery for these services:
- UPS Next Day Air Early and UPS Next Day Air: Saturday delivery available. Ship on Friday with the Saturday Delivery option selected and a Saturday Delivery routing label attached.
- UPS 2nd Day Air: Saturday delivery available, so a Thursday shipment with the option selected can arrive Saturday.
- UPS 3 Day Select: Saturday delivery available in UPS’s Saturday Ground service territories.
- UPS Ground: In Saturday Ground service territories, UPS delivers some Ground packages on Saturday without an extra charge, but you can’t request it. Commercial receivers there have to opt in.
When Saturday Delivery is requested for an air or international service, the Tariff says an additional charge applies to each shipment and is billed to whoever pays the shipping. For the full picture of weekend service, see our guide to whether UPS delivers on Saturdays. Our guide to what time UPS delivers on Saturday covers weekend timing and 3 Day Select.
For the most urgent shipments, UPS Express Critical runs 24/7/365. It’s a custom, same-day service ordered by phone rather than a parcel service you select at checkout.
Does UPS Next Day Air Saver Deliver on Saturday?
No. If you’re shipping within the U.S., the domestic “Saver” is UPS Next Day Air Saver, which delivers next business day with a later commitment than standard Next Day Air. Our UPS shipping guide lists where it fits among UPS’s services. UPS’s domestic service page lists Saturday delivery only for Next Day Air Early and Next Day Air, so a Friday Next Day Air Saver shipment is due Monday.
Next Day Air Saver delivers from all 50 states to the 48 contiguous states, for packages up to 150 lbs. and up to 108 inches long. If a Saturday arrival matters, ship with UPS Next Day Air instead and select Saturday Delivery when you create the label, since the option needs a Saturday Delivery routing label on the package.
Our UPS delivery time guide compares the transit commitment for every UPS service, and our UPS delivery schedule lists the days and hours each one runs.
Which UPS Service Should You Use for a Weekend Arrival?
Pick by deadline first and price second:
- Must arrive Saturday, shipping Friday: UPS Next Day Air or Next Day Air Early with Saturday Delivery selected.
- Must arrive Saturday, shipping Thursday: UPS 2nd Day Air with Saturday Delivery selected.
- Residential, not time-critical: UPS Ground, which may arrive Saturday in Saturday Ground service territories at no extra charge.
- International and Monday is fine: UPS Express Saver, UPS’s end-of-day express option. Plan for the next business day if it would fall on a weekend.
- International, Saturday preferred: UPS Standard to regions where UPS lists Saturday delivery, if the longer 2 to 7 business day window works.
Prices for these services vary with weight, size, distance and options, so compare them for your actual package. The ParcelPath rate calculator shows live UPS and USPS prices side by side, with up to 85% off UPS and up to 89% off USPS and no subscription fees. To keep weekend tracking straight once it ships, use our UPS tracking and delivery guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does UPS Express Saver deliver on Saturday?
Generally no. UPS Express Saver is an international, business-day service that UPS lists as typically delivered by end of day. UPS doesn’t list Saturday delivery for it, so a shipment that would be due on a weekend arrives the next business day. For a weekend arrival, use UPS Next Day Air or 2nd Day Air within the U.S., or UPS Standard to regions where UPS lists Saturday delivery.
Is UPS Express Saver the same as UPS Worldwide Saver?
Yes, for practical purposes. UPS sells its end-of-day international express service as UPS Express Saver in many countries and as UPS Worldwide Saver for shipments from the United States. Both are typically delivered by end of day, usually in 1 to 3 business days, and UPS notes some destinations can take up to 5 business days.
Can I add Saturday delivery to a UPS Express Saver shipment?
Not normally. UPS’s Saturday Delivery option is offered only for certain air and international services in certain delivery areas, and UPS doesn’t list it for Express Saver. To get a Saturday arrival, ship with a service that offers it and select Saturday Delivery when you create the label. An additional charge applies to each shipment.
Does UPS Ground deliver on Saturday?
Sometimes. Under the UPS Tariff, UPS Ground and 3 Day Select packages can be delivered on Saturday within UPS’s Saturday Ground service territories at no additional charge, but you can’t request it for Ground. Commercial receivers in those areas must opt in. Whether your package qualifies depends on the origin, destination and ZIP Code.
Sources
- UPS: International Shipping Services (U.S.)
- UPS: International Shipping Services (UK, UPS Express Saver)
- UPS: Domestic Shipping Services (Saturday delivery by service)
- UPS Tariff/Terms and Conditions of Service, United States (Section 33, Saturday Delivery)
Explore more in our Shipping Services and Solutions hub.
Part of our UPS Delivery Schedule guide. Related: UPS Delivery Policy, UPS Business Days, UPS Closing Time.
