What Is UPS Next Day Air® Saver?
by Jaidyn Farar
For consumers across the globe, ordering products online is a normal part of life. And many of these shoppers have something in common: delivery speed is one of the most important factors in determining their satisfaction and loyalty.
To keep these customers happy, ecommerce brands need to offer fast shipping options. But how can you balance delivery speed with the need to keep costs low? One solution is to use a shipping service like UPS Next Day Air Saver.
What is UPS Next Day Air Saver, how does it work, and how much does it cost? In this article, we’ll answer these questions and compare this shipping method to UPS’s other next-day offerings.
What is UPS Next Day Air Saver®?
UPS Next Day Air Saver is an overnight shipping service that offers guaranteed, time-definite delivery to the 48 contiguous U.S. states. It’s a fast and reliable way to send urgent shipments, making it great for businesses that sell food, flowers, pharmaceuticals, and other temperature-sensitive products.
UPS Next Day Air Saver at a glance:
- Can be used to ship packages up to 150 pounds and 108 inches long
- Delivers from all 50 states to the 48 contiguous states
- Delivers by 3:00 p.m. or 4:30 p.m. to businesses and end of day to residences
Where can UPS Next Day Air Saver ship?
UPS Next Day Air Saver delivers to the 48 contiguous states, and you can ship from all 50 states. This service isn’t available to locations where UPS Next Day Air® has an end-of-day guaranteed delivery time.
How much does UPS Next Day Air Saver cost?
The exact cost of UPS Next Day Air Saver depends on several factors, including a package’s weight, dimensions, and shipping distance. However, one thing is certain—using this service saves you money compared with UPS Next Day Air and UPS Next Day Air® Early.
The heavier a package is and the further it travels, the more you save by using UPS Next Day Air Saver.
Package weight | UPS Next Day Air Early | UPS Next Day Air | UPS Next Day Air Saver |
|---|---|---|---|
1 pound | $67.07 | $37.07 | $33.58 |
5 pounds | $75.27 | $45.27 | $42.32 |
10 pounds | $83.48 | $53.48 | $50.42 |
50 pounds | $168.93 | $138.93 | $128.70 |
The table above outlines starting retail rates to ship with all three services. As you can see, shipping a one-pound package with UPS Next Day Air Saver saves you $3.49 compared with UPS Next Day Air. Shipping a five-pound package saves you $2.95, shipping a 10-pound package saves you $3.06, and shipping a 50-pound package saves $10.23.
For even more savings, try a shipping API like EasyPost. With pre-negotiated rate discounts, time-saving automations, and shipping method optimization, EasyPost helps small businesses and enterprises alike decrease their shipping costs.
What are the delivery times and cutoffs?
For locations where UPS Next Day Air is committed by 10:30 a.m. or 12:00 p.m., UPS Next Day Air delivers by 3:00 p.m. or 4:30 p.m. the next business day to businesses and end of day to residences. While Saturday pickup is available, UPS Next Day Air Saver doesn’t deliver on Saturdays.
When shipping overnight, it’s essential to drop your packages off with the carrier, or have them picked up, by the designated cutoff time. This allows the carrier to process the shipments and deliver them on time.
Cutoff times for UPS vary by location, but they’re often between 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. Call your local UPS store to learn when you need to hand over your packages to guarantee next-day delivery.
How does UPS Next Day Air Saver compare with other shipping options?
UPS Next Day Air, UPS Next Day Air Early, and UPS Next Day Air Saver are similar services; each delivers the next business day in the United States. However, you should understand some of the key differences between these shipping methods.
UPS Next Day Air Early | UPS Next Day Air | UPS Next Day Air Saver | |
|---|---|---|---|
Delivery destinations | The 48 contiguous states and Anchorage, AK | All 50 states and Puerto Rico | The 48 contiguous states |
Delivery times to businesses | 8:00 a.m. to major cities in the 48 contiguous states | 10:30 a.m., 12:00 p.m. or end of next business day | 3:00 p.m. or 4:30 p.m. the next business day |
Delivery times to residences | 8:00 a.m. to major cities in the 48 contiguous states | 12:00 p.m. or end of next business day | End of next business day |
Saturdays | Pickup and delivery available at some locations | Pickup and delivery available | Pickup available |
What are the key benefits of using UPS Next Day Air Saver?
UPS Next Day Air Saver is the most affordable next-day shipping option offered by UPS. If customers don’t need their packages to arrive first thing in the morning—and most of them probably don’t—UPS Next Day Air Saver is a great option. Benefits include the following:
- Cost-effective. If you’re looking to balance shipping speed and budget, UPS Next Day Air Saver is the UPS shipping service for you.
- Extensive coverage. Although UPS Next Day Air Saver doesn’t ship to Alaska or Hawaii, it still offers broad coverage. This makes it an ideal choice for shipping next-day domestically.
- Guaranteed timely delivery. UPS Next Day Air Saver comes with a money-back guarantee. If your package isn’t delivered by the end of the next business day, UPS will provide a refund.
Tips for shipping with UPS Next Day Air Saver
Shipping with UPS Next Day Air Saver is pretty simple, but these tips can help you make the process even smoother (and more affordable!).
Be mindful of weight and size restrictions
Packages sent with UPS can be up to 150 pounds, 108 inches long, and 165 inches in length plus girth (girth is the distance around a package). To avoid delays, make sure your packages are within these limits.
Set a free shipping threshold
Even if you negotiate discounted rates with UPS or use a shipping platform for discounts, sending packages overnight can get expensive. Sometimes, though, standard shipping just isn’t an option. You’re left with a dilemma: how can you offer fast shipping without breaking the bank? Some businesses charge customers for shipping, but this sometimes results in cart abandonment or unsatisfied customers.
One way to balance speed, cost, and customer experience is to set a free shipping threshold. For example, if your average order value is $100, you might offer free next-day shipping for orders over $120. This incentivizes larger purchases, which can offset the higher cost of overnight shipping.
Distribute your inventory
By storing stock closer to key customer locations, you can leverage UPS Next Day Air Saver (and other shipping services) more strategically. Distributing your inventory across multiple fulfillment centers can significantly reduce the distance packages need to travel, making overnight shipping more efficient and cost-effective.
The most affordable way to ship packages
UPS Next Day Air is a fast, reliable, and cost-effective way to send urgent deliveries. But how can you know if it’s the fastest, most reliable, and most cost-effective way to ship a particular package? To find the answer, many businesses rely on shipping software like EasyPost.
EasyPost integrates with national, international, and regional carriers, providing access to discounted rates. Its advanced algorithms can identify the right shipping method for every package to perfectly balance cost and delivery speed.