I stood in my driveway at 7:15 PM last Saturday, staring down the street like a golden retriever waiting for its owner. I had ordered a replacement part for my espresso machine on Thursday via "2-Day Shipping," and my caffeine-deprived brain had done the math: Thursday plus two days equals Saturday.
Spoiler alert: The truck never came. It arrived Monday at 11:00 AM while I was on a Zoom call, completely useless for my weekend plans.
We’ve all been there. In fact, looking at my own shipping data from last year, I tracked over 60 personal packages, and the "will it or won't it" game of weekend delivery is still the most confusing part of modern shopping. We live in a world where we can buy a mattress at 2 AM on a Sunday, but getting it delivered on a weekend feels like rolling the dice.
One of the biggest frustrations for consumers isn't just the delay—it's the lack of clarity. Does "2-Day" include Saturday? Does the brown truck even run on Sundays? Why did my neighbor get a package but I didn't?
Does UPS deliver on the weekend? (Saturday vs. Sunday)
For years, the rule was simple: UPS works Monday to Friday. If you wanted a package on Saturday, you had to pay a massive premium for a special "Saturday Delivery" sticker.
Here’s where it gets interesting. Around 2019, UPS realized that e-commerce doesn't sleep, and they started aggressively expanding standard operations to include Saturday. But there is a catch that most shoppers miss: the difference between "Residential" and "Commercial."
Does UPS deliver on Saturday?
If you are shipping to your house (Residential), the answer is a definitive yes. UPS Ground packages are now delivered on Saturdays to roughly 90% of the U.S. population as part of their standard route. You don't need to pay extra, and you don't need to check a special box.
However, if you are shipping to your office (Commercial), UPS typically assumes the business is closed. They generally do not deliver Ground packages to business addresses on Saturdays unless that business has a specific weekend pickup/delivery contract.
Does UPS deliver on Sundays?
This is where the confusion peaks. Does ups deliver on sundays? Generally, no.
Unlike Amazon's own delivery fleet which runs 7 days a week, standard UPS brown trucks stay parked on Sundays. There are two major exceptions:
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UPS SurePost: This is a service where UPS transports the package across the country but hands it off to the local Post Office for the final mile. Since USPS delivers Amazon and some other packages on Sundays in many cities, you might get a SurePost package on a Sunday.
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Express Critical: This is an incredibly expensive emergency service used for things like medical supplies. It’s not for your sneakers.
Does UPS Second Day Air deliver on Saturday?
This is the specific scenario that ruined my espresso-less weekend.
If you choose UPS 2nd Day Air on a Thursday, standard logistics math says:
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Day 1: Friday
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Day 2: Saturday?
Now the tricky part: UPS 2nd Day Air does not automatically include Saturday delivery. Unless the shipper (the brand you bought from) specifically ticked the "Saturday Delivery" checkbox and paid the extra surcharge (usually ~$16), Saturday is not counted as a business day for Air services.
So, Thursday + 2 Business Days = Monday.
I learned this the hard way during a renovation project. I paid $45 for expedited shipping on a faucet ordered Wednesday morning. It didn't ship until Wednesday night. Thursday was Day 1. Friday was Day 2. But because it was "2nd Day Air" and not "Next Day Air," and the brand hadn't paid the Saturday premium, it sat in the local depot all weekend.
So, when asking does ups second day air deliver on saturday, the answer is "Only if you see a literal 'Saturday Delivery' option at checkout."
How late will UPS deliver packages?
During the week, businesses close at 5 PM, but residential routes are different.
How late will ups deliver packages on a Saturday? The official window is usually 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM for residential ground. However, during peak seasons (like the holidays) or if a driver has a heavy route, I have had packages dropped on my porch as late as 8:30 PM.
My personal rule of thumb: If the tracking says "Out for Delivery" and it’s past 8:00 PM, it’s probably not coming until Monday. Drivers have legal limits on how many hours they can drive, and sometimes they just run out of clock.
Returning items via UPS (The Zara Example)
Let's switch gears to the other side of the equation: Returns. Most of us interact with UPS on weekends not just to receive boxes, but to get rid of them. Let's look at the standard return flow for a major retailer like Zara.
If you bought a blazer that didn't fit, here is the neutral, step-by-step process you likely have to follow:
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Log into the Zara app and request a return.
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Select "Drop off at a UPS Drop Point."
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Zara emails you a PDF label.
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You have to print that label (hope you have ink).
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You pack the item back into the box, tape it up, and stick the label on.
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You drive to a UPS Store or drop box.
Common issues shoppers face with Zara returns
While this sounds straightforward, in practice, it is full of friction points:
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Return Fees: Zara (and many others) now deducts a fee (often $3.95) from your refund for using a prepaid drop-off label.
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The Printer Struggle: I don't know about you, but my printer is "offline" 90% of the time. If you don't have a printer, you have to use a QR code, which limits which drop-off locations you can use.
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Packaging Hassle: If you ripped the original bag open, you have to find a new box and tape. Household tape disappears faster than socks in my house.
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Weekend Lines: Have you been to a UPS Store on a Saturday morning? It’s often a 20-minute wait behind someone shipping golf clubs.
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Refund Delays: Once you drop it off on Saturday, it might not move until Monday. It takes days to reach the warehouse and more days to process the refund.
A modern alternative — local, box-free returns
Over the past year, new return options popped up that avoid most of these headaches — especially ones that skip shipping entirely.
One of the most rapidly adopting solutions is Closo. Closo changes the dynamic by removing the "shipping" aspect from the consumer's plate. Instead of boxing up items for UPS, you utilize a network of local neighborhood spots.
Here is how it works:
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You initiate the return on the brand’s portal and choose the box-free, local drop-off option.
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You get a QR code on your phone.
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You walk into a local vetted location—often a coffee shop, dry cleaner, or boutique you already visit.
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You hand over the item (no box, no label).
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They scan it, and you’re done.
Why many shoppers prefer using Closo
The shift toward services like Closo is driven by the desire to eliminate the "logistics chores" of shopping.
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No Printer, No Box: You never have to hunt for packing tape or worry about ink levels.
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Instant Confirmation: The return is verified the moment it is scanned at the local spot.
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Faster Refunds: Because the item is physically verified in person, many brands trigger the refund immediately or within 24 hours, rather than waiting for the package to traverse the country.
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Greener: Aggregating returns into bulk shipments reduces the carbon footprint compared to millions of individual UPS envelopes.
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Avoid the Line: Dropping off at a coffee shop is significantly faster than waiting in line at a post office or shipping center.
Not all brands support Closo yet. If the retailer you’re returning to doesn’t offer it, you’ll need to use the standard return process — though many shoppers now ask brands to add Closo because it makes returns significantly easier.
People always ask me... (FAQs)
Does UPS Ground deliver on Saturday to apartments?
One question I get constantly is about secure buildings. Yes, UPS Ground delivers to apartments on Saturdays. However, if your leasing office is closed on weekends and the driver can't get into the building, they won't deliver. They will mark it "Access Issue" and try again Monday. If you live in a complex, make sure your gate code is in the "Delivery Instructions" or use a UPS Access Point for pickup.
Is UPS open on Sunday for pickup?
People always ask me if they can go grab their package on Sunday if they missed it Saturday. Generally, no. Most UPS Customer Centers (the hubs) are closed Sundays. However, some franchise UPS Store locations are open on Sundays (usually 10 AM – 4 PM), but they can only give you packages that were already dropped off there, not ones sitting on a truck.
Does UPS deliver on holidays that fall on a weekend?
A common thing shoppers wonder is about holiday overlap. UPS observes major holidays (New Year's, July 4th, Christmas). If July 4th falls on a Saturday, UPS will not deliver. If it falls on a Sunday, they will usually observe the holiday on Monday, meaning no delivery then either.
Conclusion
Understanding the nuances of does ups deliver on weekends can save you a lot of anxiety. For the vast majority of residential packages, Saturday is now a standard delivery day, which is a massive improvement from five years ago. But Sunday remains a dead zone for the brown truck, and the "2nd Day Air" rules are still a trap for the uninitiated.
I still check my tracking app too often, but at least now I know that if it's Saturday night and the box isn't here, I can stop looking out the window until Monday.
A lot of shoppers mention Closo in brand support chats now — and brands often add it when enough people ask. If you’d love free return and instant refunds, ask your brand if they’re already connected.
