On March 20, 2020, UPS announced new peak surcharges that will affect all UPS shippers doing business in China and Hong Kong. UPS will continue service into and out of China Mainland and Hong Kong SAR. Even with the continuing Coronavirus outbreak, UPS is venturing to support the demands and needs of clients. As the demand for air cargo capacity increases, UPS is trying to guarantee customers can meet their shipping needs.
These were just the first round of peak surcharges due to COVID-19. Please take a look at our updated blog post with all the latest price increases.
Peak Surcharge: China to North America and Europe

Effective April 5, 2020, and until further notice, a Peak Surcharge will apply to shipments originating from China and Hong Kong to North America and Europe. Peak Surcharges will apply to shipments starting in China and Hong Kong to the following countries: United States, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK.
Shippers need to be aware of the billable weight, not the actual weight. So package dimensions are important. This additional Peak Surcharge for packages to the U.S. will have the additional charge as a rate per pound based upon the billable weight of the box. Thes Peak Surcharges apply in addition to all other optional and additional charges.
Service Levels | April 5, 2020 until further notice |
Worldwide Express Plus® | $0.34 per lb. |
UPS Worldwide Express® | $0.34 per lb. |
UPS Worldwide Express Saver® | $0.34 per lb. |
UPS Worldwide Expedited® | $0.29 per lb |
UPS Worldwide Express Freight® | $1.13 per lb |
UPS Worldwide Express Freight® – Midday | $1.13 per lb |
These additional peak surcharges will impact the cost of shipping. FedEx should follow suit with additional charges for packages originating in China. In addition, FedEx suspended the money-back guarantee this week for an indefinite amount of time. If you have questions about your shipments from China, feel free to reach out to us at Refund Retriever. We are still available by phone, email, or chat.