UPS Increases Fuel Surcharges Again: What Businesses Need to Know for 2026

When shipping costs go up, your margins don’t quietly shrink—they shout.
That’s exactly what’s happening right now with UPS’s recent fuel surcharge-moves. Even as headline GRIs get attention, the fuel cost adjustments are silently making a bigger impact.

What is going on?

According to UPS’s published tables, fuel-surcharge percentages for domestic ground, air and import/export services have been steadily climbing. For example:

• On the U.S. fuel surcharge page you’ll see that for domestic ground shipments the surcharge has reached 20.75% (in effect Nov 17, 2025) for many services. UPS+1

• International air-import and export services are seeing surcharges in the high 20s (%) tied to kerosene/jet-fuel indices. UPS+1

• Additional surcharge announcements—for Q4 and peak season—such as import/export surge fees are already active and will carry into early 2026. Supply Chain Dive

In short: the “fuel surcharge” isn’t fixed. It’s dynamic. And unless you’re monitoring it, your costs can creep up even when you think your base rate is locked in.

Why this matters now

• 2026 shipping budgets are being built now. If you’re working off last year’s surcharges, you’re already behind.

• “Average” increases like headline GRIs (e.g., ~5.9%) mask the real story. Zones, services and extra fees may increase far more.

• Fuel surcharges often apply on top of other increases and apply weekly or index-based, meaning your real effective cost could be much higher.

• Without visibility, you could be paying for changes you didn’t anticipate—eroding profitability or growth potential.

What your business can do.

Here are three concrete steps your business can take right now—and where ShipPlug steps in.

1. Review your carrier agreement & surcharge structure
Ask: What’s the fuel-surcharge index? When was the last change? Are there zones or service levels where surcharges are particularly high?
ShipPlug digs deep into your agreement to uncover hidden cost drivers.

2. Monitor surcharges & data, not just base rates
Fuel surcharges move fast. If you’re only checking your base rate annually, you’re missing the dynamic components.
ShipPlug tracks these fluctuations across your carrier accounts, flagging when fuel costs rise, and showing exactly how they impact your real shipping spend.

3. Evaluate your true cost-impact and strategy
Knowing the numbers is one thing—turning them into savings is another. You need to know where your shipping spend is highest, and then act.
ShipPlug helps you convert visibility into action—unlocking refunds where applicable and re-structuring your strategy where necessary.

Bottom line

Fuel surcharges aren’t a “nice to watch”—they’re a line item your business needs to account for. Especially in 2026, when margins are tight and every dollar saved matters.
Don’t wait until you’re paying more to realize the cost changed. Let ShipPlug help you see the invisible so you can keep your shipping costs aligned with your business objectives.