The annual surge in holiday volume is forecast to crest this year on December 18, when UPS anticipates delivering more than 18 million air and ground packages globally, or more than 200 every second. That is more than a 35% surge over normal daily volumes of about 13 million deliveries a day.

"For UPS, the holidays are the most challenging time of the year," said UPS chairman & CEO Jim Kelly. "We know we will see a significant surge in volume, so we have put in place everything necessary to ensure that service remains at the highest levels through Christmas Eve."

UPS's peak volume projections illustrate the flexibility of its integrated network but are not intended as a precise forecast of fourth quarter performance. UPS also does not make year-to-year peak volume comparisons because each season varies substantially due to factors including weather, number of shipping days and the weekday upon which Christmas falls.