Black Friday is Friday, November 27, 2026, with Small Business Saturday on the 28th and Cyber Monday on the 30th. For points travelers it’s two things at once: the weekend the big holiday events open in most of our destination cities, and the week the airlines and hotel programs usually run their only real sales of the year. Below is what each organizer or venue had confirmed on its own site as of October 19, 2026, city by city, plus what to expect from the travel sales based on how 2025 played out. Where 2026 details weren’t posted yet, we say so instead of guessing.
We’ll update this post as retailers, airlines and hotel programs announce their 2026 offers in November.
The weekend at a glance
| City | Confirmed for Nov. 26–30, 2026 | Not announced yet (as of Oct. 19) |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago | Thanksgiving Parade (Nov. 26); Christkindlmarket open Thanksgiving 11–4; Winter WonderFest opens Nov. 27; Brookfield Zoo Holiday Magic Nov. 27–29 | Mall and store Black Friday hours |
| Milwaukee | Turkey Trot at American Family Field (Nov. 26); Holiday Lights Festival; Deer District Holiday Market; Whitefish Bay Holiday Stroll (Nov. 27); Makers Market Shop Small Saturday (Nov. 28) | Mall hours; Jingle Bus details |
| Washington, D.C. | Downtown Holiday Market; ZooLights; ICE! at Gaylord National; Enchant at Nationals Park | National Christmas Tree lighting date; Georgetown GLOW |
| Miami | Art Basel Miami Beach is Dec. 4–6 (the following weekend) | Mall hours; Bayfront Park holiday village; Coral Gables tree lighting |
| Las Vegas | Enchant at Las Vegas Ballpark; Glittering Lights at LVMS | Bellagio Conservatory 2026 display; Ethel M lights dates; mall hours |
| Los Angeles | Hollywood Christmas Parade (Nov. 29); Rodeo Drive already lit (Nov. 19) | The Grove tree lighting; mall hours |
| Honolulu | Waikiki Holiday Parade (Nov. 27) | Parade start time; mall hours; Honolulu City Lights opens Dec. 5 |
| Vienna | Every major Christmas market is open; Black Friday is observed Nov. 27 | Parndorf outlet Black Friday dates; Perchten parade date |
| Dubai | Global Village is open; Dubai Shopping Festival starts Dec. 4 | White Friday 2026 dates; UAE National Day holiday dates |
| El Salvador | “Viernes Negro” is a weeks-long sale season, not one day | 2026 mall promotions; Villa Navideña dates |
Chicago
Shopping. The Magnificent Mile is the obvious Black Friday destination, and it’s already decorated: the Wintrust Magnificent Mile Lights Festival takes place Saturday, Nov. 21, so the lights are on by Thanksgiving. State Street and the neighborhood districts (Andersonville, Hyde Park, Lincoln Park) are the alternative if you’d rather shop independents on Small Business Saturday. None of the downtown malls had posted 2026 Black Friday hours when we checked.
Festivities. The 92nd Chicago Thanksgiving Parade runs north on State Street from Ida B. Wells Drive to Randolph on Thursday morning, Nov. 26; Choose Chicago’s listing flags a new 7:45 a.m. step-off, with the parade wrapping up around 10. Christkindlmarket Chicago at Daley Plaza is open Thanksgiving Day from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., then regular hours (Fridays and Saturdays 11–9) through Dec. 24; the Aurora and Wrigleyville markets keep the same Thanksgiving hours. Navy Pier’s Wintrust Winter WonderFest is listed as opening Friday, Nov. 27 and running through Jan. 3, 2027 (per a Chicagoland weekend guide; Navy Pier’s own 2026 page wasn’t live when we checked, so confirm before buying tickets). Brookfield Zoo’s Holiday Magic is scheduled Nov. 27–29 (3–9 p.m., from $29.95), and Light of Christmas Drive-Thru at Rate Field runs Nov. 27–29. The Field Museum and Adler Planetarium are closed on Thanksgiving Day itself.
Our Chicago holidays on points guide covers where to stay downtown; the Christmas markets roundup has the market details.
Milwaukee
Shopping. Milwaukee’s Black Friday is split between the suburban malls (Mayfair in Wauwatosa, Bayshore in Glendale) and the Historic Third Ward’s boutiques downtown. The one dated shopping event we found is the Milwaukee Makers Market’s Shop Small Saturday at Discovery World on Saturday, Nov. 28, 10 a.m.–4 p.m., free to attend (museum admission applies only if you tour the exhibits). Shorewood’s Oakland Avenue shops have run Small Business Saturday promotions in past years; 2026 details weren’t posted yet.
Festivities. Thanksgiving morning starts with the Festival Foods Turkey Trot at American Family Field, 8 a.m. on Nov. 26 (2-mile walk, 5-mile run and a dog jog; packet pickup Nov. 25 from 2–6 p.m.). The Milwaukee Holiday Lights Festival has been running downtown since its Nov. 19 kickoff and continues through Jan. 1, 2027. The free Deer District Holiday Market on the plaza at Fiserv Forum runs Nov. 20–Dec. 6 but is closed on Thanksgiving Day. On the North Shore, the Whitefish Bay Holiday Stroll and parade on Silver Spring Drive is set for Black Friday evening, Nov. 27 (time still to be announced), and Menomonee Falls holds its Christmas parade Sunday, Nov. 29 at 4:30 p.m. For the rest of the season, see our Milwaukee events guide and smaller festivals roundup.
Washington, D.C.
Shopping. Tysons Corner Center, Georgetown, CityCenterDC and Tanger Outlets at National Harbor are the main draws; none had posted 2026 holiday hours. The DowntownDC Holiday Market on F Street NW (between 7th and 9th) runs Nov. 13–Dec. 23, closed Thanksgiving Day, with Friday and Saturday hours of 11 a.m.–9 p.m., which makes it the easiest Small Business Saturday stop.
Festivities. ZooLights at the National Zoo runs Nov. 20, 2026–Jan. 3, 2027 ($10 tickets, Mon–Sat 5–9 p.m., Sun 5–8 p.m.). ICE! at Gaylord National opened Nov. 14 and runs through Jan. 3 with a Grinch theme (from $41). Enchant Christmas at Nationals Park runs Nov. 20–Dec. 27 (from $28; the organizer warns holiday weeks can sell out). The National Christmas Tree lighting date hadn’t been announced as of the NPS page’s July update; it was Dec. 4 last year, so don’t plan the weekend around it.
Miami
Miami’s Black Friday runs through Aventura Mall, Dolphin Mall, Sawgrass Mills, Brickell City Centre and Lincoln Road, but no 2026 holiday hours were posted at any of them when we checked. The big December anchor is Art Basel Miami Beach, Dec. 4–6, 2026 at the convention center, which is the weekend after Thanksgiving; hotels on the beach price for it, so if you’re going for Black Friday itself you’ll generally find better rates than the following week. The Bayfront Park holiday village site still said “coming soon,” and Coral Gables hadn’t posted its 2026 tree-lighting date (it was Dec. 5 last year). Santa’s Enchanted Forest has not operated since 2021 and we found no 2026 announcement.
Las Vegas
The Strip malls (Fashion Show, Forum Shops, Grand Canal Shoppes) and the two Premium Outlets hadn’t posted Black Friday hours yet. On the festivities side, two things are confirmed: Enchant’s light maze at Las Vegas Ballpark in Summerlin runs Nov. 20–Dec. 27, and Glittering Lights, the drive-through display at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, runs Nov. 6, 2026–Jan. 3, 2027. The Bellagio Conservatory’s 2026 holiday display and the Ethel M Cactus Garden lights dates weren’t announced as of mid-October (Ethel M’s lights ran Nov. 6–Jan. 3 last year). Neither MGM Rewards nor Caesars Rewards had a 2026 Black Friday room sale posted; both tend to appear the week of Thanksgiving.
Los Angeles
The Hollywood Christmas Parade is Sunday, Nov. 29, 2026, per the official site (last year’s ran 6–8 p.m.). Rodeo Drive’s holiday lighting is Thursday, Nov. 19, so Beverly Hills is already decorated by the weekend. Citadel Outlets, the usual Black Friday destination, lists a tree-lighting concert on Nov. 7 and a “Jingle Bucks” promotion Nov. 1–25 on its events page, but no Black Friday hours. Descanso Gardens’ Enchanted Forest of Light (10th season) runs Nov. 22–Jan. 9, and LA Zoo Lights runs Nov. 20–Jan. 10, 6–10 p.m.; both pages show dates without a printed year, so confirm before buying. The Grove hadn’t posted a 2026 tree-lighting date.
Honolulu
The Waikiki Holiday Parade is Friday, Nov. 27, 2026, Black Friday evening along Kalakaua Avenue; GoHawaii lists a 7 p.m. kickoff, but the organizer hadn’t published a 2026 start time or street closures as of August. Honolulu City Lights opens the following Saturday, Dec. 5 (ceremony 5:30 p.m., tree lighting about 6), so a Thanksgiving trip misses it by a week. Ala Moana Center, Royal Hawaiian Center, International Market Place and Waikele Premium Outlets hadn’t posted 2026 Black Friday hours; last year Ala Moana opened 8 a.m.–9 p.m. and Waikele ran 5 a.m.–11 p.m. on Black Friday, which is a reasonable guide. Alaska and Hawaiian ran a 30%-off Black Friday fare sale last year; nothing is announced for 2026 yet.
Vienna
Austria observes Black Friday on the same day, Nov. 27, and big-box retailers like MediaMarkt run a “Black Week” around it; Mariahilfer Straße and Kärntner Straße get crowded enough that the first Advent shopping Saturday makes local traffic news. Designer Outlet Parndorf ran “9 days of Black Friday” from Nov. 21–Dec. 1 last year with up to 50% off at 160-plus brands; 2026 dates weren’t posted. The real reason to be in Vienna that weekend is that every major Christmas market is open: Rathausplatz (Nov. 13–Dec. 26) with the Eistraum ice rink, Schönbrunn (from Nov. 6), Stephansplatz (Nov. 6–Dec. 26), Belvedere (Nov. 20–Dec. 31), and Spittelberg, Karlsplatz and Am Hof (Nov. 13–Dec. 23), all per the city tourism board. The first Sunday of Advent falls on Nov. 29. The Prater’s Perchten parade was Nov. 30 last year; 2026 not announced. See our Christmas markets roundup for using points to get there.
Dubai
Dubai’s version is White Friday, run by Noon and Amazon.ae with the malls joining in. Last year it ran Nov. 20–30; the 2026 dates were listed only as “November” when we checked. The 32nd Dubai Shopping Festival starts Dec. 4, 2026 and runs to Jan. 17, 2027, so Thanksgiving-weekend visitors arrive a week before the citywide promotions and raffles begin. Global Village’s Season 31 opened Oct. 14 and runs into May, and the Dubai Fitness Challenge wraps up Nov. 29. UAE National Day (Eid Al Etihad) is Dec. 2, and the public holiday around it may be shifted; final dates weren’t confirmed. Etihad ran a White Friday sale of up to 35% off last year (booking through early December for travel through June); Emirates and the hotel chains hadn’t announced 2026 offers.
El Salvador
In El Salvador, “Viernes Negro” is a season rather than a day: last year the major chains at Multiplaza, La Gran Vía, Galerías and Metrocentro started promotions on Nov. 1 and deepened them in mid-November, timed to the early payout of public-sector year-end bonuses. The consumer protection ombudsman’s 2025 survey found most shoppers planned to hit the malls, and the top complaints were traffic, advertised prices not matching the register, and out-of-stock items, so arrive early. San Salvador’s Villa Navideña in the historic center opened Dec. 5 last year with a 55-meter tree; 2026 dates weren’t posted. On the flight side, Avianca LifeMiles ran an award sale of up to 55% off for U.S. residents from Nov. 25–Dec. 1, 2025, and Volaris’ “Black Flight Days” page for El Salvador still showed 2025; watch both the week of Thanksgiving.
The travel sales: what to expect based on 2025
No airline or hotel program had announced a 2026 Black Friday sale as of Oct. 19. Last year’s pattern is a good guide to what to watch for and when:
| Program | 2025 offer | 2025 book-by |
|---|---|---|
| Marriott Bonvoy | Up to 25% off for members booking in the app (20% online; 15% non-members) | Dec. 2 |
| Hilton Honors | Up to 25% off Homewood, Hampton, Spark; up to 20% off Hilton, Conrad, Canopy | Dec. 15 |
| World of Hyatt | Up to 30% off for members (25% non-members) | Dec. 11 |
| IHG One Rewards | Up to 25% off for members (20% everyone else) | Dec. 4 |
| Wyndham Rewards | 30% or more across North America | Dec. 5 |
| Southwest | Up to $50 off base fares | Dec. 4 |
| Alaska / Hawaiian | Cash and award sale, about 30% off | Dec. 4 |
| United | 28% off award flights for cardholders | Dec. 5 |
| Etihad | Up to 35% off base fares (White Friday) | Dec. 2 |
| Avianca LifeMiles | Up to 55% off awards, U.S. residents | Dec. 1 |
| Iberia Plus | Up to 50% off Avios tickets | Dec. 2 |
Three things we learned from last year’s round:
- Hotel sales are percentage-off cash rates, not points. They’re most useful for stays you’d pay cash for anyway (a Vegas Strip weekend, a Miami beach hotel in December). For a points stay, the sale usually doesn’t change the award price.
- Award sales matter more than fare sales. Iberia’s Avios discount and Avianca’s LifeMiles sale were the standout values in 2025 for Europe and Central America respectively. If Vienna or El Salvador is on your 2027 list, that’s the week to book.
- The booking windows run into early December. You don’t have to decide on Black Friday itself; most offers were live through Travel Tuesday (Dec. 1) and some through mid-December.
Chase Ultimate Rewards points transfer to Hyatt, Marriott and IHG for hotels in every U.S. city above, and to Southwest and United for the flights. You can compare current Sapphire offers and apply with our Chase referral link. Small Business Saturday is an American Express program, and Amex Membership Rewards transfer to Avianca LifeMiles, Iberia and Etihad; see our Amex referral link.
Disclosure: These are our personal Chase and American Express referral links. If you’re approved through them, we may earn a referral bonus, at no extra cost to you. You can always apply directly on the issuer’s website. See our Advertising & Referral Disclosure.
Our take
If the goal is the shopping itself, Chicago is the strongest Thanksgiving-weekend trip on this list: the parade, three Christkindlmarkets open on Thanksgiving Day, and Winter WonderFest opening on Black Friday give you something to do between stores. Milwaukee is the quieter version with a free lights festival and a free makers market on Saturday. Washington has the most confirmed ticketed events, but the tree lighting is the week after. Vienna is the one city where the weekend’s draw has nothing to do with Black Friday; the markets are the point. Miami, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Honolulu each have one or two confirmed events and a lot of “check back in November,” and Dubai’s big festival starts a week later. For the travel sales, set a reminder for the Monday before Thanksgiving and plan to book by Dec. 1.
Sources
- Chicago: Glancer Magazine Thanksgiving weekend 2026 guide; Christkindlmarket Chicago; Chicago Thanksgiving Parade; Navy Pier Winter WonderFest; Magnificent Mile Lights Festival
- Milwaukee: Festival Foods Turkey Trot; Milwaukee Downtown holiday events; Deer District Holiday Market; Milwaukee Makers Market Shop Small Saturday and Discovery World; North Shore Family Adventures: 2026 parades
- Washington, D.C.: DowntownDC Holiday Market; Northern Virginia Magazine: ZooLights and ICE!; Enchant Christmas DC; NPS: National Christmas Tree
- Miami: Art Basel Miami Beach; Bayfront Park holiday village; City of Coral Gables (2025); NBC Miami on Santa’s Enchanted Forest
- Las Vegas: FOX5: Enchant Las Vegas; KTNV: Glittering Lights; Ethel M
- Los Angeles: Hollywood Christmas Parade; Rodeo Drive events; Citadel Outlets events; Descanso Gardens Enchanted Forest of Light; LA Zoo Lights
- Honolulu: GoHawaii: Waikiki Holiday Parade and HawaiiGuide; Honolulu City Lights; KHON2: 2025 mall holiday hours
- Vienna: wien.info: Christmas markets 2026; MediaMarkt Austria Black Week; Designer Outlet Parndorf; Vienna Unwrapped: Krampus and Perchten
- Dubai: TradeArabia: Dubai Shopping Festival 2026-27; Khaleej Times: Global Village Season 31; Khaleej Times: White Friday 2025; Bayut: upcoming sales; Gulf News: Etihad White Friday 2025
- El Salvador: El Salvador.com: Viernes Negro 2025; Defensoría del Consumidor survey (PDF); Villa Navideña 2025; LoyaltyLobby: LifeMiles sale; Volaris Black Flight Days
- 2025 travel sales: The Points Guy: hotel deals roundup; My Points Life: 2025 Black Friday travel deals; Iberia Avios sale
Dates, prices and offers change; confirm with the organizer, retailer, airline or hotel before you book. Points Capital is not a financial advisor.
