Thursday, November 26, 2026 is a UPS holiday, so is UPS open on Thanksgiving? No: UPS runs no pickup or delivery service that day, and UPS Express Critical, an around the clock service for urgent shipments, is the only exception.
Regular operations resume the next day, Friday, November 27, 2026. That makes this a short pause, so most plans need only a small adjustment.
Is UPS open on Thanksgiving 2026 and 2027?
Thanksgiving falls on the fourth Thursday of November. In 2026 that is November 26, the next one coming up. In 2027 it is Thursday, November 25.
UPS states plainly in its holiday schedule that there is no UPS pickup or delivery service on November 26. UPS has not published a 2027 Thanksgiving status yet. Check its holiday schedule page again closer to the date.
| Date | What UPS says |
|---|---|
| Thursday, November 26, 2026 (Thanksgiving) | No UPS pickup or delivery service |
| Friday, November 27, 2026 | UPS pickup and delivery services are available |
| Thursday, November 25, 2027 (Thanksgiving) | Not published by UPS yet |
What is open and what is closed on Thanksgiving Day
The answer depends on which part of UPS you mean. The delivery network, the pickup network and the retail counters are separate. They do not all follow the same rules.
| Service | Thanksgiving, November 26, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Package pickup (scheduled and regular) | Closed, no service |
| Package delivery | Closed, no service |
| UPS Express Critical | Available around the clock through Marken at 1-800-714-8779 |
| The UPS Store locations | May be closed, so check your local store |
| Drop boxes and Access Points | Not addressed on the UPS holiday schedule |
When people ask is UPS open on Thanksgiving, they often mean the store. UPS says its locations may be closed on Thanksgiving, so hours depend on the store. The UPS Store hours guide explains how to confirm a specific location.
An open store also does not mean a package will move that day. There is no UPS pickup service on November 26. Anything you drop off waits for the next operating day.
The holiday page says nothing about drop boxes or Access Points for this date. Treat them as unconfirmed. If a drop off matters, do it on Wednesday or Friday.
Does UPS deliver on Thanksgiving?
Residential and business deliveries both pause, and a package due Thursday moves to the next day UPS operates. The full breakdown is in does UPS deliver on Thanksgiving.
The reverse is also true. A store that stays open for printing, mailboxes or notary work is not a sign that trucks are rolling. Counter hours and delivery service are two different questions.
How the days around Thanksgiving look
The Friday after Thanksgiving is a normal UPS day. UPS lists pickup and delivery as available on November 27, 2026. The UPS Store locations also operate normally that day.
The UPS holiday page lists no change for the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, so plan on a regular day. It is still a busy shipping day, so drop packages off early. If something must arrive before the holiday, the Delivery Time Estimator helps you count the days.
The weekend follows the usual weekly pattern. UPS provides pickup and delivery Monday through Saturday and none on Sunday. See is UPS open on Saturdays for how that works.
A package that would normally deliver on Thursday will most likely arrive Friday or later. Holiday volume can add delay on top. Tracking shows the current estimate better than any schedule can.
Is UPS closed on Thanksgiving for every service?
Is every service shut? Not quite, because Express Critical is the one service UPS says keeps running. That service is arranged through Marken, so it works differently from a normal pickup request.
Ground, air and residential services all fall under the no pickup and no delivery notice. Nothing on the holiday page carves out a different rule for business accounts. If you rely on a daily driver pickup, expect no stop on November 26.
When to ship before Thanksgiving
The simplest plan is to treat Wednesday, November 25, 2026 as your last normal drop off day. Friday, November 27 is the first normal day after. Anything that must be in a recipient’s hands by Thursday is already at risk, because no delivery happens that day.
- Shipping for a Thursday meal: send it early the week before, not on Wednesday.
- Returning an online order: Friday is fine, since UPS pickup and The UPS Store both operate.
- Business shipments: schedule the pickup for Wednesday or Friday, and confirm your account pickup settings.
- Time critical medical items: ask about Express Critical through Marken at 1-800-714-8779.
UPS also provides Saturday pickup and delivery for accounts that arrange it. Saturday pickups must align with your existing Monday through Friday pickup arrangements. That can help recover a day after the holiday, but it needs to be set up in advance.
What to do if your package is due on Thanksgiving
- Open your tracking page. UPS My Choice is free and sends alerts. It also lets you reschedule multiple packages.
- Expect the delivery date to shift to Friday, November 27, 2026 or later. Do not wait at home on Thursday.
- If a driver missed you on a regular delivery day, the delivery notice (InfoNotice) lets you authorize a release without a signature. That does not apply if the shipment needs an adult 21+ signature.
- To have a package held instead, ask for a redirect to a UPS Access Point. It is held 7 calendar days before it goes back to the sender, and you need photo ID to collect it.
UPS may make up to three delivery attempts at its discretion, then returns the package to the sender. UPS makes those attempts on regular delivery days, so Thanksgiving itself does not count as one. Check the notice for the exact date of the next try.
Customer service and urgent shipments
The holiday page does not list general customer service hours for Thanksgiving. UPS does not publish a separate phone schedule there. Use UPS My Choice and online tracking for status instead of waiting on a phone line.
For urgent medical or time critical freight, UPS Express Critical stays available all day on November 26 through Marken at 1-800-714-8779. It is a specialty service. It is not a way to send ordinary packages on the holiday.
How UPS compares with FedEx and other holidays
FedEx lists both FedEx and FedEx Office as closed on Thanksgiving 2026. On the Friday after, FedEx runs modified service while FedEx Office is open. The Friday does not match UPS.
Thanksgiving works like other UPS holidays, with a full pause and a quick return. For other dates, see is UPS open on Memorial Day.
Veterans Day follows a different pattern, covered in is UPS open on Veterans Day.
The full UPS holiday schedule covers the rest of the year. Plan around it for gifts and time sensitive items in late November and December. Build in at least one spare day for anything with a hard deadline, since holiday volume is the main source of delay.
Bottom line on UPS and Thanksgiving
So, is UPS open on Thanksgiving in any useful way? Count Thursday, November 26, 2026 as a full stop for pickup and delivery, with Express Critical as the only exception. Everything returns Friday, and your local UPS Store is the one place that may be shut.
Use the Postal Holiday Checker to confirm other carriers before you plan a drop off.
