UPS International Air Fuel Surcharge Update

The May 11 update applies a single uniform increase: both export and import surcharges rise by exactly 2.00 percentage points at every fuel price tier. Export rates move from a range of 36.25%–39.75% to 38.50%–41.50%; import rates move from 40.00%–43.50% to 42.25%–45.25%. The $0.04 fuel price increments and 0.25% surcharge steps between tiers are carried over unchanged. The gap between export and import surcharge rates holds steady at 3.75 percentage points — unlike FedEx's recent update, UPS is not widening the import-export spread. The published table range shifts modestly, starting at $3.67/gal instead of $3.63 and trimming the top end from $4.23 to $4.19, but the extension rule ($0.04 / 0.25% steps for prices outside the published range) ensures coverage at any fuel price level.

💡 Both export and import surcharges increase by a flat 2.00 percentage points effective May 11, 2026 — no tier is left unchanged and no fuel price scenario exists under which surcharges remain flat or decline.
💡 The import/export surcharge gap holds at 3.75 percentage points, meaning the relative cost difference between inbound and outbound shipments is unchanged — a notable contrast to FedEx, which widened its gap to 4.25 points on the same effective date.
💡 The fuel price tier structure ($0.04 increments) and the 0.25% step between tiers are unchanged — this is purely a rate increase, not a structural overhaul.
💡 Shippers should audit any contracts, rate cards, or landed-cost models benchmarked to the prior surcharge schedule before May 11, and cross-reference against the FedEx increase taking effect on the same date to assess total carrier-level fuel surcharge exposure.