Questions about mailing a letter to Hawaii (buy, calculator)

[howlinowl]

Got to send a letter to Hawaii from Florida. Was kinda wonderin' how it goes from the mainland to the islands on a 40c stamp.... Does it get put on a boat or goes by plane? What I'm sending isn't too important that it can't take it's time to get there, but if the cost difference isn't much and airmail speeds it up, I might spring for the extra postage.

What kind of delivery time can I expect??

thanks,
howlinowl

[whynot?]

First class goes by plane. (3-5 days, even from the east coast.) Cheaper classes *sometimes* go by boat; it partly depends upon space available at the time, after sorting, etc. Book/media rate and similar discounted services almost always go by boat. (2-4 weeks.)

Depending upon where you're mailing to in Hawai'i, there's sometimes a day to get it to another island or a rural PO.

We do this all the time -- both directions -- and have had no problems in 10 years.

Best of luck.

[from nv]

I've never had any problems with sending or receiving mail in a timely manner...the postal service is pretty good considering they're servicing an island.

[timbo31958]

From the east coast it takes from 3-4 days with a regular stamp, about the same amount of time it takes to go 2 or 3 states away from where it is sent so all in all not a bad deal.

[HankDfrmSD]

Originally Posted by howlinowl

if the cost difference isn't much and airmail speeds it up, I might spring for the extra postage.

When I was a kid (about 60 years ago) there was a separate service you could buy for "Airmail".

That is no more. Even within the same state, if it can get there faster by plane than truck, it goes by plane. You can't specify airmail. It just goes "First Class".

Postage Price Calculator

Used to be a lot more mail sent by rail, too. Most trains had a "Mail Car". Now just flatcars with trucks on them.

Moving the Mail

[Calico Salsa]

Is this a trick question? Postage for a letter is 44c, not 40c. So the real answer is that 40c would either be returned to you for more postage, or more postage would be collected from the recipient.

But as others have answered, figure on 5 days.

[hotzcatz]

No need to pay extra for "overnight" delivery service, it will still take three to five days to get here. I don't think there is any "same day" service at all and unless it is a very short and specific route (which I don't think includes Florida) their "same day" service will still take three to five days. But still! For forty four cents, it's a great deal!