Thanksgiving 2026 is on Thursday, November 26, 2026. It is a federal holiday, and with the Friday after it many people get a four-day weekend from Thursday, November 26 to Sunday, November 29.
Thanksgiving always lands on a Thursday, but the date moves each year, anywhere from November 22 to November 28. This guide answers when is Thanksgiving 2026, explains the rule behind the date, covers the Friday-off question, lists what is open and closed, and gives the dates through 2030 so you can plan travel and time off early.
When is Thanksgiving 2026?
Thanksgiving Day 2026 falls on Thursday, November 26. It is the 330th day of the year and sits in ISO week 48. The Thanksgiving countdown shows exactly how many days are left, and sleeps until Thanksgiving gives the same number for kids who count in nights.
The dates around it in 2026:
- Wednesday, November 25: the day before Thanksgiving and a common day to travel.
- Thursday, November 26: Thanksgiving Day.
- Friday, November 27: Black Friday.
- Sunday, November 29: the end of the long weekend, and also the first Sunday of Advent.
- Monday, November 30: Cyber Monday.
Christmas, on Friday, December 25, comes 29 days after Thanksgiving, which is why the shopping season starts the next morning. The November 2026 calendar lays the whole month out.
The fourth-Thursday rule
Federal law sets Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday in November. It is not the last Thursday: in a November with five Thursdays, Thanksgiving is the fourth one, a week before the month ends. 2026 has only four, so Thanksgiving is also the last Thursday this year.
Because November 1 can fall on any weekday, the fourth Thursday can be as early as November 22 or as late as November 28. The rule dates to 1941, when Congress settled a two-year dispute after President Franklin Roosevelt moved the holiday a week earlier. Our guide on why Thanksgiving is on a Thursday tells that story and shows how to work out the date for any year.
Is the Friday after Thanksgiving a day off?
Thanksgiving Day is one of the 11 federal holidays in 5 U.S.C. 6103. The Friday after it is not. The OPM federal holiday list includes only the Thursday, so federal employees work on Friday, November 27, 2026 or take leave, unless the President grants the day by executive order, which is never guaranteed in advance.
Outside the federal government it varies. Some state and local governments, schools and private employers give the Friday off as a paid holiday, and many others don’t. Your employee handbook or HR team is the only reliable answer for your own job.
If you do need to use leave, here is how the week stacks up:
| Plan | Days of leave | Days off in a row | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thanksgiving only | 0 | 1 | Thursday, November 26 |
| Thursday plus Friday | 1 | 4 | Thursday, November 26 to Sunday, November 29 |
| Wednesday to Sunday | 2 | 5 | Wednesday, November 25 to Sunday, November 29 |
| The whole week | 4 | 9 | Saturday, November 21 to Sunday, November 29 |
The nine-day option assumes Friday isn’t a paid holiday for you. If it is, the same nine days cost only three days of leave.
What’s open and closed on Thanksgiving 2026
On Thursday, November 26, 2026, expect these closures:
- Federal offices and courts are closed.
- The Postal Service follows the federal holiday schedule, so post offices are closed and regular mail isn’t delivered.
- Banks that follow the Federal Reserve holiday schedule are closed. The Fed lists Thanksgiving Day on November 26 for 2026.
- The stock market is closed all day. According to the NYSE holiday calendar, it reopens on Friday, November 27 but closes early, at 1:00 p.m. ET.
- Stores and restaurants set their own hours. Many close for the day, while grocery stores, pharmacies and some restaurants open with shorter hours. Check the specific location before you go.
On Friday, most businesses are open and many stores open early for Black Friday. Mail is delivered, and banks follow their normal Friday schedule. Our Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2026 guide covers the shopping weekend in detail.
Planning the week
A few practical points for the week of November 23:
- Deadlines move up. With Thursday off and Friday short or off, many offices effectively run a three-day week. If something has to be done before the holiday, aim for Tuesday rather than Wednesday afternoon.
- Payments and transfers. Thursday is not a business day for banks, so a payment due that day may process on Friday. The business days from today calculator skips weekends and federal holidays for you.
- Travel days. Wednesday, November 25 and Sunday, November 29 are the obvious days to travel there and back, so they tend to be crowded. If you can leave earlier in the week or come back on Monday, book early and compare fares.
- Counting back for the turkey. If you need to thaw a frozen bird or book a table, the date calculator counts back any number of days from November 26.
Thanksgiving dates, 2026 to 2030
Every date below comes from the fourth-Thursday rule. Black Friday is always the next day and Cyber Monday the Monday after.
| Year | Thanksgiving | Black Friday | Cyber Monday |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Thursday, November 26 | November 27 | November 30 |
| 2027 | Thursday, November 25 | November 26 | November 29 |
| 2028 | Thursday, November 23 | November 24 | November 27 |
| 2029 | Thursday, November 22 | November 23 | November 26 |
| 2030 | Thursday, November 28 | November 29 | December 2 |
2029 has the earliest possible date, November 22, and 2030 the latest, November 28. In 2030 Cyber Monday slips into December, and the gap to Christmas shrinks to less than four weeks. The 2027 holiday calendar shows where next year’s date sits among the other federal holidays.
US and Canadian Thanksgiving
Canada celebrates Thanksgiving on the second Monday in October, so in 2026 it fell on Monday, October 12, more than six weeks before the US holiday. The two are separate holidays with different rules. Our Canadian Thanksgiving 2026 guide covers the Canadian date and where it is a statutory holiday.
Frequently asked questions
When is Thanksgiving 2026?
Thanksgiving 2026 is on Thursday, November 26, 2026, the fourth Thursday of November.
Is the day after Thanksgiving a federal holiday?
No. Only Thanksgiving Day is a federal holiday. Friday, November 27, 2026 is a regular workday for federal employees unless the President grants it, though some states and private employers give it as a paid day off.
Is the stock market open the day after Thanksgiving 2026?
Yes, but only until 1:00 p.m. ET on Friday, November 27, according to the NYSE. The market is closed all day on Thanksgiving.
Is there mail on Thanksgiving?
No. The Postal Service observes federal holidays, so post offices are closed and regular mail isn’t delivered on Thursday, November 26. Service resumes on Friday.
When is Thanksgiving 2027?
Thanksgiving 2027 is on Thursday, November 25, 2027, with Black Friday on November 26.
What is the earliest Thanksgiving can be?
November 22, which next happens in 2029. The latest is November 28, as in 2030.