1st Class Airmail

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First-class postage is a type of mail which indicates the level of service a package or letter is supposed to receive from a postal service. First-class mail gets higher priority in terms of delivery time over other classes of mail. First-class mail — Letters, postcards or packages up to 13 ounces qualify as first-class mail. Example sentence(s). The domestic airmail letter rate rose from 10¢ to 11¢ per ounce as the first-class surface letter rate rose from 6¢ to 8¢ per ounce. In choosing between the two most important categories of business mail, users paid a substantial premium for intercity transport by air. Was the service they purchased worth the extra cost? Congress authorized airmail postage of 24 cents per ounce, including special delivery. The rate was lowered to 16 cents on airmail July 15, 1918, and to 6 cents on December 15 (without special delivery). First day of scheduled airmail service, Belmont Park, New York, 1918 Courtesy Library of Congress. This appears to have been the policy when domestic postal rates increased March 2, 1974, to 10 cents for the first ounce of a first-class letter plus 9 cents for each added ounce, 8 cents for a surface postcard, 13 cents per ounce for an airmail letter, and 11 cents for an airmail postcard. First-Class Mail International ® is our most affordable option for sending postcards, letters, and flats to other countries. You can ship items up to 15.994 oz that are less than $400 in value to more than 190 countries. Global Forever stamps are $1.20.

International Priority Airmail (IPA) is a USPS commercial service for volume mailings of all First Class Mail International postcards, letters, and large envelopes (flats) and small packets. IPA shipments are typically flown to the foreign destinations and entered into that country’s air or surface priority mail system. As a result, worldwide delivery is 3-10 days as US First Class Airmail at bulk mail prices.

The maximum weight for an individual IPA item is as follows:

a. Letter-size item: 3.5 ounces.

b. Flat-size item: 17.6 ounces.

c. Package-size item: 4.4 pounds.

Bulk Mail Prices and First Class Airmail Speeds with Atlas

Atlas International Mail Inc. has longstanding discount agreements with major international postal systems. We offer bulk mail prices and are continually adding key international mailing partners, especially in emerging markets. Thanks to a stronger US Dollar, international mailing costs are going down. Atlas International Mail arranges for many different types of service, and for this reason can create an exclusive solution for you. We’ve helped hundreds of companies save on IPA rates, and we can save you up to 50% on international airmail too.

Get a free no obligation price quote

Click here for service details from the USPS

USPS International Priority Airmail (IPA) Updates

International Priority Airmail continues as a bulk mailing service for First-Class Mail International items with average delivery times of 3–7 business days. Presort, nonpresort, and drop ship discounts as well as volume discounts for commercial customers who meet international customized mail program requirements will remain available. Each IPA mailing must weigh a minimum of 11 pounds.

Finally a separate price group is being established for Australia, and M-bag service is being introduced.

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In addition to our upfront no-nonsense pricing, we also offer same day pickup.

USPS facilitates its customers with the services of various mail classes such as Priority Mail, Retail Ground, Media Mail, Priority Mail Express, etc. The other mail class or service that is popularly used is the First-class mail. Many customers use this mail class to ship their domestic and international packages. There are two types of services if we talk about First-Class, one is domestic and other is international. We have already covered the domestic First-Class Mail service in another article.

Royal Mail 1st Class Airmail Tracking

Here, we will talk about the First-Class Mail International service.

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USPS First-Class International:

USPS First-Class Mail International is not only the most efficient way to send a package or a letter but also the economical way. The First-Class Mail International is the most affordable service for sending postcards, flats, and letters to more than 180 countries along with Canada.

Though it may take some time for your package to reach its destination as compared to the other mail classes that are more expensive, you will be able to save a lot with international First-Class mail.

It is so inexpensive that to send a 1-pound package from the US to a destination like Cancun, Mexico, using the First-Class Package International Service, it will charge only $19.71 (Commercial Base rates). If you ship the same package using the Priority Mail International, it will cost you a whopping $36.81.

Hence, the United States Postal Service’s First-Class International is identified as the most affordable way to send mails, letters, bills, small packages (of weight four pounds or less), and postcards to the overseas destinations. In case the customer wishes to send some inexpensive items like beauty products, health gadgets, books, clothes, shoes, or other accessories, then First-Class Package International service is the best and the cheapest option to send your packages to an international address.

Another good thing about this service is that the customer need not use a special USPS envelope, packaging, or label to send the package via First-Class Mail or Package International. One can prepare his/her shipment, flats, and packages just like you do in the domestic mail. The return address of the sender, including the country, should be written on the upper left corner and the address of the recipient must be written in the center.

Also, before sending the package, you need to take care of these things about the USPS First-Class Mail intl.:

  • The contents of the package you are sending are acceptable to send to the country of the recipient. To get more details on this, you can read the International Mail Manual online or at the post office.
  • Do not forget to weigh your mail item to make sure that it is not more than the recommended the weight limit for First-Class Mail International deliveries.
  • Also, calculate the cost of mailing.

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Summarizing the features of First-Class International shipping:

  • Most economical service
  • Postcards, letters, and large envelopes can be used to send
  • This service is eligible for sending flats up to 4 lbs. and up to $400
  • Global Forever stamp is also available. These postcards and letters up to 1 oz. for sending anywhere in the world will cost you $1.15.
  • If you are shipping a package that is more than one pound in weight, you will have to fill out a customs form. The form will ask you to describe the contents and value of the shipment. You will also be asked to reveal if this package is a gift or merchandise. You can get this custom form from your local post office. Fill the form by hand.

1st Class Airmail To Canada

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First-Class Mail International Delivery Time:

The First-Class International Mail generally takes 7 days to 21 days. But, you should also know that USPS does not guarantee the First-Class International time of delivery. The mail may reach its destination by ground, air or a mix of both. You can also see the delivery time of USPS for all the services.

USPS First-Class International Rates:

Now, as we know the USPS First-Class international shipping time, let us talk about its prices. The rate of the First-Class Mail International depends on the weight and destination. If an item is more than the limited length, height, or thickness of one rate, it cost you the next higher rate.

You can calculate the price of your shipment using the USPS Postage Price Calculator. If you want to calculate the postage, then CLICK HERE.

There are four different price groups:

  • Group 1 includes Canada, and the prices start at $14.73 and up
  • Group 2 is Mexico where the prices start at $19.71 and up
  • Groups 3–5 includes the countries like Australia, Germany, Great Britain, etc. and its prices start at $21.14 and up
  • Groups 6–9 are the countries like Taiwan, Brazil, Venezuela, etc. and the prices start at $20.90 and up

Is First Class Mail By Air

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Postcards should not weigh more than 1oz. and letters should not weigh more than 3.5oz. Large envelopes and Flats must not weigh more than 64 ounces, and packages should not exceed 24 inches in length and 36 inches in combined dimensions. Also, First-Class international postage is:

  • For the letters and postcards, the price starts from $1.15 for all countries and for large Envelopes (Flats), it is from $2.29 for all the countries
  • First-Class Package International Service rate starts from $9.50 at the Post Office, from $9.03 for Commercial Base, from $9.03 for the Commercial Plus.

Note:- The new rates of services including First-Class Mail International service may be different because USPS has increased the rates of its most of the services.