The 2026 General Rate Increases from FedEx and UPS signal a critical shift in how parcel shipping costs are being applied and experienced across supply chains. While the headline GRI of 5.9 percent appears modest compared to recent years, focusing on that number alone risks overlooking where the real cost pressure now lives. Carrier pricing has evolved beyond a once a year event into a continuous, data driven strategy defined by frequent surcharge changes, revised qualification rules, and increasingly targeted revenue optimization.
Throughout 2025, both carriers introduced fuel adjustments, new accessorial definitions, and expanded dimensional criteria that quietly raised shipping costs well before the 2026 GRI took effect. As a result, many shippers are entering the new rate year already exposed to higher spend without a clear understanding of why. In 2026, that dynamic accelerates. Surcharges tied to size, weight, residential delivery, cubic volume, and peak demand now play a larger role in total shipping costs than base transportation rates alone. Even small operational details such as packaging dimensions, service selection, or shipment timing can materially change a company’s cost profile.
The Reveel 2026 General Rate Increase and Surcharge Survival Guide provides a detailed, data backed analysis of how these changes affect different shipping profiles and industries. Using modeled rate impacts across services, weights, zones, and accessorials, the guide reveals where FedEx and UPS are applying pricing pressure and where opportunities still exist to mitigate cost increases. More importantly, it offers a framework for moving from reactive rate reviews to proactive cost control through continuous visibility and scenario modeling.
For supply chain, logistics, and finance leaders, understanding the true impact of the 2026 GRI is no longer optional. This guide equips teams with the insight needed to anticipate change, protect margins, and make smarter parcel strategy decisions in an environment where pricing never stands still.
