UPS Ground 30.00% est.FedEx Ground 30.50%Nov. 10, 2026
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The 2026 cube rule: which cartons it actually caught

In January 2026 both carriers added cubic-volume thresholds to Additional Handling and to Large Package / Oversize. We tested every whole-inch carton size to see which ones the new rules catch that the length-plus-girth rules did not.

Short answer. For Additional Handling, the cube rule adds almost nothing: of 10,227 cartons within the side limits, only 22 (0.22%) trigger it through cube alone, all at 104–105 in length + girth. For Large Package / Oversize it matters more: 523 cartons, mostly near-cubes around 26–30 in per side, now jump from Additional Handling to the much larger Large Package / Oversize charge with its 90 lb minimum.
Sources checked Nov. 9, 2026Sources: FedEx Service Guide 2026 · UPS: How to Avoid Shipping Charge CorrectionsHow we verify

Additional Handling: 10,368 in³

Cartons tested (≤ 48 × 30 in sides)10,227
Over 105 in length + girth or 10,368 in³4,171
Caught only by the cube rule22

Examples

Carton (in)Cube (in³)Length + girth
29 × 19 × 1910,469105 in
29 × 20 × 1810,440105 in
31 × 19 × 1810,602105 in
31 × 20 × 1710,540105 in
31 × 21 × 1610,416105 in
33 × 18 × 1810,692105 in

Large Package / Oversize: 17,280 in³

Cartons tested (≤ 96 in long, ≤ 165 in L + G)33,456
Over 130 in length + girth or 17,280 in³17,657
Caught only by the cube rule523

Examples

Carton (in)Cube (in³)Length + girth
26 × 26 × 2617,576130 in
27 × 26 × 2517,550129 in
27 × 27 × 2417,496129 in
28 × 25 × 2517,500128 in
28 × 26 × 2417,472128 in
28 × 26 × 2518,200130 in
28 × 27 × 2317,388128 in
29 × 25 × 2417,400127 in

What it means for one carton

A 28 × 25 × 25 in, 30 lb commercial carton to zones 5–6 at FedEx: before Jan. 12, 2026 it paid Additional Handling Surcharge — dimensions $38.50, billed at 126 lb. From Jan. 12, 2026 it pays Oversize Charge $320.00, billed at 126 lb. Same box, same weight. Run it in the optimizer →

Method

Every whole-inch combination with length ≥ width ≥ height (height at least 4 in, width at least 6 in), using FedEx’s published thresholds; UPS uses the same thresholds from Jan. 26, 2026. For Additional Handling we compare the cube rule with the length + girth rule inside the 48 in and 30 in side limits; for Large Package / Oversize, inside the 96 in and 165 in network limits. Weight rules are excluded. A grid is not a sample of real shipments: it shows where the rule bites, not how often your cartons fall there.

Caveats.
  • Synthetic grid, not shipment data.
  • Published rules only; carrier measurement and your contract decide actual billing.

Related

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2027 accessorial increases: UPS vs. FedEx

Category-by-category comparison of the 2027 changes, and the two-week window when only UPS’s new amounts apply.

Peak 2026: demand surcharges week by week

How UPS and FedEx demand amounts line up across the 2026–27 peak, week by week.

Data notice. Figures are published list amounts we transcribe from public UPS and FedEx documents. They can contain errors and are provided as is; we are not responsible for errors or omissions. Confirm with the carrier before relying on any figure. How we get our data · Disclaimer · Report an error