December is the busiest shipping month of the year. If you want your gifts, purchases or packages to arrive before December 24, the key is to plan ahead. This guide gives you the departure days and transit times from our Miami warehouse to Venezuela, Honduras, Panama and Costa Rica, by air and by sea, and explains how to find out this year’s cutoff dates.
The most important rule
Your cargo must be in our Miami warehouse at least one day before departure. If you shop online, also count the days the store takes to deliver to Miami. If your purchase arrives on departure day, it leaves on the next departure.
Departures and transit times
| Destination | Method | Departures | Estimated transit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Venezuela | Air | Friday | 3 to 4 business days |
| Venezuela | Ocean | Friday | 2 to 4 weeks |
| Honduras | Air | Tuesday and Friday | About 1 week |
| Honduras | Ocean | Friday | About 3 weeks |
| Panama | Air | Twice a week | 3 to 4 days |
| Panama | Ocean | Weekly | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Costa Rica | Air | Tuesday and Friday | About 1 week |
| Costa Rica | Ocean | Friday | 2 to 4 weeks |
Times can vary with port traffic and customs in each country, which tend to be busier in December.
Christmas cutoff dates: ask us
Christmas cutoff dates for each country change every year. To get the current dates for your destination and shipping method, contact us: call (305) 477-3451, message us on WhatsApp at the same number, or email cotizaciones@nextdaycargo.com. We recommend asking early and, if you can, shipping sooner.
By sea: think November
If you’re shipping appliances, furniture, large toys or bulky purchases by sea, start planning in November, not December. Ocean is the most economical option for bulky items, because it’s charged by cubic feet, but it needs weeks in transit.
By air: don’t leave everything for the last week
Air is the option for last-minute purchases, but it isn’t instant: to Venezuela it takes 3 to 4 business days, and to Honduras and Costa Rica about 1 week. By air you pay the greater of actual and volumetric weight, so during gift season it’s worth asking for repacking so you don’t pay for big, half-empty boxes.
6 tips for Christmas shipping
- Register the recipient now in our Customer Registration.
- Shop early and use our address: 8805 NW 35th Lane, Miami, FL 33172, in the recipient’s name. On Amazon you save 7% in taxes. More at Amazon.
- Combine your purchases: you get 2 weeks of free storage in Miami so everything can arrive and ship together.
- Ask for repacking into a single box, at an extra cost, to reduce the volume.
- Send the invoice or receipt as soon as your purchase arrives, so your quote isn’t delayed.
- Pay on time: shipments are prepaid. You can pay through online payments.
If you’re shipping from outside Miami
We pick up your shipment anywhere in the US, at an extra cost that depends on the city. Book pickup well ahead, because schedules fill up fast in December. If you use your own carrier, add its transit time to Miami.
Delivery at destination
- Venezuela: door to door in the Caracas Metropolitan Area; to the interior, with a domestic carrier at an extra cost.
- Honduras: door to door throughout Honduras.
- Panama: door to door in Panama City; to the interior, with a local courier at an extra cost.
- Costa Rica: door to door in San José; to other provinces, with a local courier at an extra cost.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the cutoff date for my shipment to arrive by Christmas?
Christmas cutoff dates for each country change every year. Contact us at (305) 477-3451, on WhatsApp or at cotizaciones@nextdaycargo.com for the current dates.
What if my purchase reaches Miami on departure day?
It leaves on the next departure. Cargo must be in the warehouse at least one day before.
Can I combine several Christmas purchases into one shipment?
Yes. We hold your packages for up to 2 weeks free and can repack them into a single box.
Plan your Christmas shipment
Next Day Cargo has 35 years of experience bringing Christmas from Miami to Venezuela and Central America. For this year’s cutoff dates, email cotizaciones@nextdaycargo.com or call us at (305) 477-3451 (also WhatsApp), Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
