LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) — The United States Postal Service (USPS) isn’t raising stamp prices in 2026, but mailing a package will surely cost you more than it did last year.
USPS has signaled its next round of shipping hikes, set for Jan. 18, 2026, as part of its long-running effort to drag the agency out of financial loss and through a decade-long restructuring plan. The increases hit packages, not letters, with the agency saying it will not raise mailing service prices in January.
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Under the plan, Priority Mail Express rises about 5.1%, Priority Mail jumps 6.6%, Parcel Select bumps up 6%, and USPS Ground Advantage takes the biggest leap at 7.8%. USPS says the adjustments follow inflation trends and market competition, and are necessary to keep the agency solvent.
Unlike most federal operations, USPS receives no taxpayer funding for day-to-day expenses, relying instead on the revenue from postage, parcels, and retail services. Postal leaders say that model demands periodic increases to keep up with labor, transport, and logistics costs.
Additionally, the timing of the announcement coincides with the release of USPS’s 2025 fiscal year numbers, which show the agency posted a $2.7 billion controllable loss—a jump from the previous year’s $1.8 billion.