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Fuel surcharges and delivery fees, explained (2026)

How UPS and FedEx fuel surcharges follow weekly diesel and jet fuel prices, why USPS has no fuel surcharge, and which fees delivery apps and airlines add. Figures effective Oct 26, 2026.

Figures checked Oct 24, 2026, 08:08–08:09 UTC: UPS and FedEx surcharges effective Oct 26, 2026 (FedEx: Oct 26–Nov 1, 2026); EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 19, 2026 (released Oct 20). Surcharges change weekly, so check the carrier's page before you ship.

By Sloane Glitchford, Founder

USPS doesn't add a fuel surcharge. In its Mar 25, 2026 filing with the Postal Regulatory Commission, the Postal Service said it "does not currently apply fuel or other transportation-related surcharges" (USPS notice, Docket No. CP2026-4). Instead, package postage carries two temporary price increases until Jan 17, 2027. UPS and FedEx do add a fuel surcharge, and it changes every week.

When fuel prices rise, some of it can show up in what you pay to ship a package, get an order delivered or fly, usually as a percentage or a fee line. Here's where it appears, how it's calculated, and the current numbers from official pages. This page covers the US only.

The short answer

USPS: no fuel surcharge. Two temporary price increases apply to Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, USPS Ground Advantage and Parcel Select: 8% since Apr 26, 2026 (PRC Order No. 9502) and holiday prices averaging 6% more since Oct 4, 2026 (PRC Order No. 9718). Both end Jan 17, 2027. Stamps aren't affected.
UPS and FedEx: a weekly percentage tied to EIA diesel prices (ground) and jet fuel prices (air). Effective Oct 26, 2026, UPS Ground is 29.50% and FedEx Ground is 29.00% (FedEx: Oct 26–Nov 1, 2026).
Delivery apps: DoorDash, Uber Eats and Instacart list no fuel fee on their fee pages (checked Oct 24, 2026, 08:14–08:16 UTC).
Airlines: under US rules, an advertised fare must be the entire price, so any carrier fuel surcharge has to be inside it.

Does USPS have a fuel surcharge?

No. USPS raised package prices for a limited time instead. In announcing the first increase, USPS said: "We have steadfastly avoided surcharges" (USPS, Mar 25, 2026). Because these are price changes, not a separate surcharge, they're built into the postage price itself.

Temporary price increase	Products	Size	In effect	Approved by	Stamps
Transportation-related increase	Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, USPS Ground Advantage, Parcel Select (retail and commercial)	8%	Apr 26, 2026 to Jan 17, 2027	PRC Order No. 9502 (Apr 6, 2026)	Not affected
Holiday (peak season) increase	Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, USPS Ground Advantage, Parcel Select (retail and commercial)	6% on average	Oct 4, 2026 to Jan 17, 2027	PRC Order No. 9718 (Sep 9, 2026)	Not affected

Both temporary increases are in place at the same time until Jan 17, 2027. Examples of the holiday increase at retail, from USPS: $0.50 for Priority Mail and USPS Ground Advantage in zones 1–4 at 0–3 lbs, $0.75 for Ground Advantage in zones 5–9 at 0–3 lbs, $1.00 for Priority Mail in zones 5–9 at 0–3 lbs, and $2.10 for a Large Flat Rate Box (USPS, Aug 25, 2026). For your own package, check the USPS price calculator.

Shipping gifts? See our holiday shipping deadlines for 2026.

How UPS and FedEx fuel surcharges work

What it's tied to. Both carriers base ground surcharges on the EIA's weekly US average on-highway diesel price, and most air and express surcharges on the EIA's US Gulf Coast jet fuel price.
When it changes. Every week. UPS changes take effect on Mondays and use the EIA price "as most recently released." FedEx says, "There is a lag between the fuel price index and the fuel surcharge."
Step size. In both carriers' current ground tables, at diesel of $4.99 a gallon or more, the surcharge moves 0.25 percentage points for each $0.09. In their domestic air tables, at jet fuel of $3.01 or more, it moves 0.25 points for each $0.05. Both say the percentages and trigger points can change without notice.
What it's charged on. FedEx applies the percentage to the net rate plus listed surcharges, including the Residential Delivery Charge and Delivery Area Surcharge, so on a home delivery the dollar amount can be more than the base rate times the percentage.
Same index, different percentage. Effective Oct 26, 2026, both carriers' ground surcharges track the same EIA diesel average, yet UPS Ground is 29.50% and FedEx Ground is 29.00%, a 0.50-point gap. Each carrier sets its own table.
One UPS exception, in UPS's words: "The U.S. Ground Domestic Fuel Surcharge does not apply to UPS Ground packages originating in the 48 contiguous United States when subject to Retail rates."

Worked example (simple arithmetic, not a quote): a $15.00 ground base rate × 29.50% = $4.43 UPS fuel surcharge; the same base × 29.00% = $4.35 at FedEx.

The EIA publishes the fuel prices but says it "does not calculate, assess, or regulate diesel fuel surcharges" (EIA FAQ).

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From each carrier's official fuel surcharge page, which also explains which charges the percentage applies to. Shipping before Oct 26? Through Oct 25, 2026, UPS Ground is 29.25% and FedEx Ground is 28.75%.

Carrier	Service	Fuel surcharge	Effective	Based on	Source
UPS	Ground (domestic) and Ground Saver	29.50%	From Oct 26, 2026	EIA US diesel average, most recent release	UPS fuel surcharges
UPS	Domestic air	33.00%	From Oct 26, 2026	EIA US Gulf Coast jet fuel, most recent release	UPS fuel surcharges
UPS	International air export	45.50%	From Oct 26, 2026	EIA US Gulf Coast jet fuel	UPS fuel surcharges
UPS	International air import	48.25%	From Oct 26, 2026	EIA US Gulf Coast jet fuel	UPS fuel surcharges
UPS	International ground (export and import)	30.25%	From Oct 26, 2026	EIA US diesel average	UPS fuel surcharges
FedEx	Ground, Home Delivery, International Ground, pickup	29.00%	Oct 26–Nov 1, 2026	Diesel price reported for Oct 19, 2026	FedEx fuel surcharge
FedEx	Domestic and US to Puerto Rico package services (express)	32.50%	Oct 26–Nov 1, 2026	Jet fuel price reported for Oct 16, 2026	FedEx fuel surcharge
FedEx	Domestic and US to Puerto Rico express freight	$0.716 per lb	Oct 26–Nov 1, 2026	Jet fuel price reported for Oct 16, 2026	FedEx fuel surcharge
FedEx	Export and import	45.00%	Oct 26–Nov 1, 2026	Jet fuel price reported for Oct 16, 2026	FedEx fuel surcharge
USPS	All	None	n/a	No fuel surcharge; temporary price increases instead (see above)	USPS notice to the PRC

UPS's table lists the percentages in effect on the date of shipment; FedEx's customer agreement is the final authority for an account's fuel surcharge.

What fuel costs right now (EIA)

Fuel	Week	Price per gallon	A year earlier	Change
US on-highway diesel (retail)	Week of Oct 19, 2026	$6.276	$3.620 (week of Oct 20, 2025)	+$2.656 (+73.4%)
US regular gasoline (retail)	Week of Oct 19, 2026	$4.284	$3.019 (week of Oct 20, 2025)	+$1.265 (+41.9%)
US Gulf Coast jet fuel (spot)	Week ending Oct 16, 2026	$4.500	n/a	n/a

Diesel was 73.4% higher than a year earlier and regular gasoline 41.9% higher (EIA Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update, released Oct 20, 2026; retail prices include all taxes). Series: diesel, regular gasoline, Gulf Coast jet fuel.

Delivery apps: which fees you'll see at checkout

None of the three big apps lists a fuel fee. Here's what their own fee pages list (checked Oct 24, 2026, 08:14–08:16 UTC).

Fee	DoorDash	Uber Eats	Instacart
Fuel fee	None listed	None listed	None listed
Delivery fee	Fixed per order; varies by merchant	Varies with the merchant, your location, demand and nearby couriers	Varies with the retailer, delivery window and order total
Service fee	Varies with distance and order size where DoorDash's late-July 2026 fee update has rolled out; 15% of the subtotal for most orders in California, Chicago, Colorado, DC, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York City, Puerto Rico and Seattle	Varies with basket size; $0.10 goes to Uber and the rest to the courier	Varies with location and your cart; isn't a tip and doesn't go to the shopper
Distance fee	Long Distance Fee	Long Range Fee for stores farther away	Long-distance fee if the route is 15+ minutes or includes a toll
Small orders	Small Order Fee below a set subtotal	Small Order Fee below a minimum subtotal	Delivery orders must be at least $10
Faster delivery	Optional Express fee	Priority Delivery Fee	Priority fee
Local or regulatory fees	Regulatory Response Fee in some regions	Local Operating Fee (Seattle only)	Regulatory response fee in some places
Weather	Weather Impact Fee during major weather events	Not listed	Not listed
Pickup orders	No service fees on pickup orders	Not covered on this page	No service fee; some retailers charge a pickup fee

Sources: DoorDash fees, Uber Eats fees, Instacart fees and taxes. If your DoorDash fees changed this year, note its late-July 2026 update: in most markets the service fee now varies with distance and order size.

Restaurant service charges and automatic gratuities are a different thing; see our guide to automatic gratuity and service charge rules.

Rideshare: is there a fuel surcharge?

We found no current rider fuel surcharge on Uber's or Lyft's official pages, checked Oct 24, 2026. Their 2026 fuel programs were for drivers: Uber extended gas discounts for drivers and couriers through June 30, 2026 (Uber), and Lyft extended its driver fuel relief through July 26, 2026 (Lyft).

It has happened before: in March 2022, Uber added a temporary per-trip and per-order fuel surcharge from Mar 16, 2022, with all of it going to drivers and couriers (Uber, Mar 11, 2022).

Airlines: fuel surcharges and award tickets

US rules require an advertised airfare to be "the entire price to be paid by the customer" (14 CFR 399.84(a)). A carrier fuel surcharge can be broken out, but it has to be inside that total, not added on top. DOT has fined a travel site for leaving fuel surcharges out of advertised international fares (DOT). On a cash fare, compare the totals.

On award tickets, the cash part matters. American, for example, prices award flights in miles "plus any applicable taxes and carrier-imposed fees" (American). Check that cash amount before you book.

How to pay less

No promises here; these are ways to compare.

Ground or air? If timing allows, compare both. From Oct 26, the air fuel surcharge percentages are higher than the ground ones at both UPS and FedEx.
Compare carriers on the total, not the base rate or the surcharge alone.
Check USPS for small packages. There's no fuel surcharge, but the temporary increases are in the price until Jan 17, 2027.
Pick up instead of delivery when you can. DoorDash and Instacart say pickup orders don't carry a service fee.
Avoid small-order fees by meeting the minimum or combining orders.
On award tickets, check the taxes and carrier-imposed fees before you book.
Charged more than checkout showed? See our guide to being overcharged at checkout.

Sources (figures checked Oct 24, 2026, 08:08–08:09 UTC; other pages checked Oct 24, 2026, 08:14–08:16 UTC)

Carriers: UPS fuel surcharges, FedEx fuel surcharge
USPS: USPS notice to the PRC, Mar 25, 2026 (Docket No. CP2026-4), USPS release, Mar 25, 2026, PRC Order No. 9502, USPS release, Aug 25, 2026, Federal Register 2026-17640 (Governors' Decision 26-7), PRC Order No. 9718, USPS News, Oct 4, 2026
EIA: Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update, weekly diesel, weekly regular gasoline, weekly Gulf Coast jet fuel, EIA FAQ on diesel surcharges
Delivery apps: DoorDash, Uber Eats, Instacart
Rideshare: Uber, 2026, Lyft, 2026, Uber, 2022
Airlines: 14 CFR 399.84, DOT enforcement release, American AAdvantage awards

General information, not legal or tax advice. Fees and surcharges change; the carrier's or app's checkout is the final word.

Quick answers

Does USPS charge a fuel surcharge?

No. In its Mar 25, 2026 filing, USPS said it does not currently apply fuel or other transportation-related surcharges. Package postage carries two temporary price increases instead: 8% since Apr 26, 2026 (PRC Order No. 9502) and holiday prices averaging 6% more since Oct 4, 2026 (PRC Order No. 9718), both until Jan 17, 2027. Stamps aren't affected.

Why is UPS's fuel surcharge different from FedEx's?

Both track the same EIA diesel and jet fuel prices, but each sets its own percentage table. Effective Oct 26, 2026, UPS Ground is 29.50% and FedEx Ground is 29.00%.

How often does the fuel surcharge change?

Every week. UPS changes take effect on Mondays using the EIA price most recently released, and FedEx says there is a lag between the fuel price index and the surcharge.

What is the fuel surcharge based on?

The EIA's weekly US average on-highway diesel price for ground services and the US Gulf Coast jet fuel price for air and express. The EIA publishes the prices but says it does not calculate, assess, or regulate diesel fuel surcharges.

Do DoorDash, Uber Eats or Instacart charge a fuel fee?

Not on their fee pages, checked Oct 24, 2026. Delivery and service fees can still change with distance, basket size, demand or local rules.

Is Uber or Lyft adding a fuel surcharge in 2026?

We found no rider fuel surcharge on their official pages, checked Oct 24, 2026. Their 2026 fuel programs were discounts and cash back for drivers. Uber added a temporary fuel surcharge in March 2022.

Do airlines charge fuel surcharges?

If one applies, US rules require it to be inside the advertised fare. On award tickets it can show up in the taxes and carrier-imposed fees you pay in cash.

Is it legal to charge a fuel surcharge?

We don't give legal advice. For airfares, US rules require the advertised price to include it. If a fee wasn't disclosed before you paid, ask the seller, then your state's consumer protection office. General information, not legal or tax advice.

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