Sweetness, save your $$$ - i used the post office expedited service and got my passport in 6 days. And this was back in August, during the so-called peak season!

Well, they charge you $60 bucks, on top of the normal fees, for a service that the post office does for free. Did you read the process page for the 10-15 day service? It's actually HARDER than applying through the post office. In fact, Step 2 is "applying through the post office"! The service is merely a courier at that point.

The only reason to use one of these services, IMO, is because your international flight is very, very soon and you don't live near a Regional Passport Agency.

Ohhhh I see! Thanks, that's what I needed to know!

Sorry I was so brusque, but businesses like this sort of annoy me for some reason. They do serve their purpose, but I think they sometimes also intentionally prey on people who are busy and don't have time or know-how to do the research.

Muddgirl -- exactly. These are what we call in Consumer Economics "ripoffs". Perfectly legal, because they deliver what they offer. But a waste of money, because what they offer is, in actuality, very little. See also: scholarship services, summer job opportunities on cruise ships.

If you're really worried, you can go up to the passport office in Seattle. They claim you need an appointment and all that, but if you can't get through the phone system (and I've heard you often can't), you can do what a friend of mine did and just get there early in the morning and loudly refuse to leave the office without getting your passport squared away.