Most big U.S. retailers are closed on Thanksgiving Day. However, many will open early the following day, Black Friday, the unofficial start of the holiday gift-buying season and the biggest shopping day of the year.
Here’s what is open and closed this Thanksgiving, along with a travel forecast from the experts at AAA auto club.
Government offices, post offices, courts and schools are closed.
Macy’s will be closed on Thanksgiving, but most stores will have extended hours from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Black Friday.
Kohl’s will be closed on Thanksgiving, but many stores will be open as early as 5 a.m. on Black Friday. Check your local location for hours.
CVS will close early on Thanksgiving. You can call your local store or check store and pharmacy hours on the CVS Pharmacy website.
Walgreens will close most of its stores on Thanksgiving, though some 24-hour locations will be open. Check your local store for more information.
AAA projects that 81.8 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home over the Thanksgiving holiday period between Tuesday, Nov. 25 and Monday, Dec. 1. That’s 1.6 million more travelers compared to last Thanksgiving, which would be a new record.
AAA estimates that at least 73 million people will travel by car, amounting to nearly 90% of Thanksgiving travelers. About 1.3 million more people will be on the road this year compared to last year, AAA predicts.
Drivers are currently paying around $3 for a gallon of regular gasoline, according to AAA. Last year, the national average was $3.06 on Thanksgiving Day.
According to AAA, 6 million U.S. travelers are expected to take domestic flights over the 7-day holiday period, a 2% increase over 2024. That figure could end up lower if flights are canceled or delayed.
Travel by other modes is expected to increase by 8.5% to nearly 2.5 million people. Other forms of travel include bus, train, and cruise ships.
