Why Is Shipping to Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico So Expensive?

It isn't customs. It's distance, the ocean, and a few fees you don't see until the label prints.

Why is shipping to Hawaii and Alaska so expensive? Distance and how the box travels, not customs. Since October 1, 2026, USPS Ground Advantage to Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico is a 10-day-or-more service, and Priority Mail is 2 to 4 days (USPS PostalPro notice). From our Monroe ZIP code, USPS puts Honolulu and San Juan in Zone 8, the same zone as Miami and New York (USPS zone chart, checked October 21, 2026). FedEx prices Alaska and Hawaii on their own rate tables and adds a $46 (Alaska) or $16.25 (Hawaii) fee in remote ZIP codes (FedEx 2026 surcharges). USPS needs no customs form for any of the three (USPS DMM 608).

A common one at our counter: a seller from Sultan sells hand-poured candles online. An order comes in from Wasilla, Alaska. The checkout price looks fine until the label quote shows up, and it's way more than the Ohio order from the same morning. The next question is always the same: "Do I need a customs form for this?"

No, you don't. But the price is real, and you can usually make it smaller.

What changed and when

Most of the price is old news. A few dates matter this year, though, and one is coming in January.

All four checked October 21, 2026. Fuel surcharges and other fees change too, so the label quote on the day you ship is the number that counts.

Reason 1: your box is going about as far as it can go

USPS doesn't charge by state. It charges by weight and zone, and the zone is just how far the box goes from where it starts. The farther, the higher the zone, the higher the price.

Here's what USPS's own zone tool says for a package starting in Monroe (98272):

Source: USPS Domestic Zone Chart, zones effective October 1, 2026, checked October 21, 2026.

Look at Anchorage. From Monroe, it's a lower USPS zone than New York. That surprises almost everyone. Living in Washington actually helps you on Alaska orders.

Hawaii and Puerto Rico sit in Zone 8 with Miami and New York. USPS's retail price list (Notice 123) doesn't add a separate Hawaii or Puerto Rico fee to Priority Mail or Ground Advantage. So with USPS, a box to Honolulu should cost about what the same box costs to Miami.

Zone 8 is still the priciest zone a box from here to these places will hit, though. That's where box size starts to sting. USPS bills packages over one cubic foot by size, not just weight. The math got tougher in July (see our dimensional weight explainer). A roomy box of pillows is a bad idea to Hilo.

Reason 2: there's an ocean (or a lot of Canada) in the way

A box to Ohio rides a truck. A box to Honolulu has to fly or float.

Priority Mail is the fast one. USPS says the October change didn't touch how Priority Mail moves. It just set a more honest 2 to 4 day window.

Ground Advantage now goes the slow way. USPS says Ground Advantage to Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico now goes mainly by surface, no matter the weight. Before October, light packages under a pound sometimes got a plane ride. One reason USPS gives: keeping hazardous items off planes. The result is a service expectation of 10 days or more, and USPS warns some may take "significantly longer than 10 days."

Freight by water has its own cost. Under the Jones Act, cargo moved by ship between U.S. ports has to go on vessels that are U.S.-owned, U.S.-built, and crewed mostly by U.S. citizens. In a 2013 report, the Government Accountability Office found that four Jones Act carriers moved most cargo between the mainland and Puerto Rico. Shippers told GAO those rates run higher, though GAO couldn't verify every example (GAO-13-260).

You won't see a "Jones Act" line on a 3-pound label. It's part of why the slow option is slow, and why big, heavy freight to the islands costs what it does.

Reason 3: carrier fees that only hit some ZIP codes

This is the one that catches sellers.

FedEx doesn't use the regular zone chart for these places. Its 2026 retail rate guide has separate tables for Alaska metro, Alaska rural, Hawaii metro, and Hawaii rural. For some remote Alaska ZIP codes, FedEx says a third party makes the final delivery, extra fees apply, and transit adds 3 to 5 business days.

On top of that comes the delivery area surcharge. FedEx charges it only in ZIP codes on its list. We checked a few against the list effective July 20, 2026:

• On the list (fee applies): Juneau, AK (99801) and Hilo, HI (96720)
• Not on the list: downtown Anchorage (99501), Fairbanks (99701), and downtown Honolulu (96813)

So two Hawaii orders on the same day can price very differently. Same island chain. Different ZIP. Different fee.

Wait, isn't Puerto Rico international?

For USPS, no. For FedEx, sort of. Here's how it breaks down.

USPS: Mail from the mainland to Alaska, Hawaii, or Puerto Rico needs no customs form. DMM 608 lists the places where a customs form is needed: American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Freely Associated States (Palau, Micronesia, Marshall Islands). Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico aren't on that table.

FedEx: FedEx's rate guide prices outbound Puerto Rico shipments under "International package rates to Puerto Rico," using FedEx International First, International Priority and International Economy. FedEx says every international shipment of goods needs a commercial invoice. Plan on filling one out when you send goods to Puerto Rico by FedEx. Papers with little or no commercial value usually don't need one.

One trap for sellers: if one kind of goods in a box to Puerto Rico is worth more than $2,500, you need to file export information electronically first. USPS spells this out in DMM 608, section 2.4.1. USPS's own example: one $2,600 watch needs it.

USPS vs FedEx for Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico

Sources: USPS PostalPro, USPS Priority Mail, USPS Ground Advantage, FedEx Ground, FedEx 2026 rate guide and surcharge list linked above. Checked October 21, 2026.

Where people overpay

Picking the cheapest label by habit. On the mainland, Ground Advantage is a fine default. To Hawaii it's now 10 days or more. If it's a gift or a customer who's already waiting, that cheap label can cost you a refund.

Ignoring Flat Rate. USPS says Priority Mail Flat Rate boxes ship up to 70 lbs "to any state at the same price." That's a big deal at Zone 8. If you've got something small and heavy, like tools, books, or jars, a Flat Rate box to Honolulu costs the same as one to Spokane. Light, bulky stuff usually does better priced by weight in a snug box.

Using a box that's too big. At the far zones, every extra inch can add billable pounds. Cut the box down or pick a smaller one. We'd rather see a tight box with good padding than a big box full of air.

Not checking the ZIP for FedEx. If you sell online and charge a flat "Alaska/Hawaii" rate, a remote ZIP can eat your margin. Check the FedEx list before you promise a price.

Shipping batteries or sprays the slow way without knowing it. USPS calls Ground Advantage its main option for hazardous items that can't fly. To these places that now means surface, 10 days or more. If you're sending a power bank or anything flammable, plan for the long route and ask before you seal the box.

Step by step: how to ship to Alaska, Hawaii or Puerto Rico without overpaying

1. Get the full ZIP code. City names hide big price differences. Hilo and Honolulu are both in Hawaii, but only Hilo is on FedEx's fee list.
2. Weigh and measure. Write down the weight and all three sides.
3. Shrink the box. Use the smallest box that still leaves room for padding.
4. Price a Flat Rate box if it's dense. If it fits and it's heavy for its size, this is often the winner.
5. Compare Priority Mail with FedEx. For small and medium boxes, check both. Over 70 lbs, USPS is out and FedEx Ground is the way.
6. Pick by deadline, not habit. Need it in a few days? Priority Mail or FedEx. Ground Advantage only if 10+ days is truly fine.
7. Puerto Rico by FedEx? Fill out the invoice. List what's inside and what it's worth.
8. Over $2,500 of one item type to Puerto Rico? File the export info first (DMM 608).
9. Holiday gifts? Check the dates. USPS's holiday mail-by dates list Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico separately, and Ground Advantage closes a day earlier there.

How we help at the counter in Monroe

We're a FedEx Authorized Ship Center, and we sell USPS postage at the same prices as the Post Office. That means we can put your box on one scale and price USPS and FedEx side by side. You pick. No guessing which website to trust.

If the item is fragile or oddly shaped, our custom packing helps, because a long, bumpy trip by sea or plane is hard on a weak box. And if it has to get there fast, we'll walk you through Priority Mail Express or FedEx overnight and 2-day options.

One note: DHL at our counter is for international shipping. For Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico, you're choosing between USPS and FedEx. Between the two, there's almost always a sensible pick. The scale and the ZIP code decide which.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a customs form to ship to Hawaii, Alaska, or Puerto Rico?

Not with USPS. They're part of the U.S., and DMM 608 doesn't require a customs form for mail from the mainland to any of them. FedEx books Puerto Rico as an international shipment, so it wants a commercial invoice for goods.

Is Priority Mail Flat Rate the same price to Hawaii?

Yes. USPS says Flat Rate boxes ship up to 70 lbs to any state at the same price. Hawaii and Alaska included.

How long does USPS take to Alaska and Hawaii now?

Since October 1, 2026, USPS says Priority Mail takes 2 to 4 days to Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. Ground Advantage takes 10 days or more, and some packages take much longer.

Does FedEx charge extra to ship to Alaska or Hawaii?

FedEx has its own Alaska and Hawaii rate tables. It adds a delivery area fee of $46 (Alaska) or $16.25 (Hawaii) per package in ZIP codes on its list. On January 4, 2027, FedEx says those go to $48.75 and $17.50.

Why is shipping to Anchorage cheaper than I expected from Washington?

Because USPS prices by distance. From Monroe, Anchorage is Zone 6, which is lower than New York or Miami (Zone 8).

Shipping something north or out to the islands?

Bring the box, or just the item, and the full ZIP code. We'll weigh it, price USPS and FedEx together, and help you pack it for the long trip. We're on Old Owen Road in Monroe, a short drive for folks in Sultan, Gold Bar, Snohomish and Duvall.

The Mail Station Monroe
19916 Old Owen Road, Monroe, WA 98272
(360) 805-9250
Mon–Fri 9 AM–6 PM · Sat 9 AM–2 PM · Sun closed

Ask us about your shipment · FedEx shipping · USPS shipping

Related Reading

• USPS Last Day to Ship for Christmas 2026? Official Dates — the separate Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico holiday dates
• USPS's New Dimensional Weight Rule: What It Costs You — why a big box costs more at Zone 8
• UPS & FedEx Residential Surcharges: 2026 Fees Explained — the other fees that land on home deliveries
• Holiday Shipping Surcharges 2026 vs 2025: How Much Each Carrier Raised — peak fees on top of everything here
• Can You Ship a Power Bank? What USPS, FedEx & UPS Allow — battery rules before a long trip
• Why Won't FedEx or UPS Deliver to an APO/FPO Address? — military mail is a different set of rules
• Customs Forms Explained: CN22, CN23 & Commercial Invoice — if you do end up filling out an invoice
• Shipping Heavy or Oversized Items: Limits, Fees & Hacks — when the box is over 70 lbs
• FedEx Priority vs Standard Overnight: When Is Morning Delivery Worth It? — picking a fast FedEx service

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Written by The Mail Station Team in Monroe, WA. Service times come from the USPS PostalPro notice of September 25, 2026; zones from the USPS Domestic Zone Chart for ZIP 98272; customs and export rules from USPS DMM 608; prices and fee rules from USPS Notice 123 and the Priority Mail and Ground Advantage pages; FedEx fees, rate tables, ZIP lists and transit times from FedEx's 2026 and 2027 surcharge PDFs, 2026 retail rate guide, delivery area ZIP list and FedEx Ground page; Jones Act background from GAO-13-260. All linked above and checked October 21, 2026.