Thanksgiving in the USA: Parade Routes, Travel and Mobile Data
Thanksgiving falls on the fourth Thursday of November, but the travel impact extends beyond that single day. Visitors may be navigating major airports, driving to family gatherings, attending the Macy's parade in Manhattan and shopping on Black Friday. Planning the route, not just the destination, is essential. Here is what official US travel information tells us about the holiday and how to prepare your phone.
At a glance
- Does an eSIM work in the United States?
- Yes. It connects to Verizon, AT&T (5G).
- Price
- From 5,99 € (3 GB, 15 days).
- For a one-week trip
- 5 GB for 30 days: 8,99 €.
- Does an EU phone plan work there?
- No: The United States is outside EU roaming, so even a plan from an EU country charges it as abroad.
- When does the plan start?
- When your phone first connects to a network in the United States. The QR code arrives by email within minutes.
When Thanksgiving happens and why the calendar matters
The US federal government defines Thanksgiving as the fourth Thursday in November. The exact date therefore changes each year, while Black Friday falls on the following Friday. Thanksgiving itself is a federal holiday, so government offices and some private businesses may close or change their opening hours.
If you are visiting relatives, ask when they expect you to arrive rather than assuming Thursday morning is the best travel time. If you are combining Thanksgiving dinner with a city break, reserve time separately for travel, the family gathering and sightseeing.
Check restaurant, attraction and transport information for the exact days of your visit. An opening schedule shown for an ordinary Thursday may not apply on Thanksgiving Day. The same caution applies to airport transfers and any shopping plans for the following Friday.
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Will it work on my phone?
On iPhone: Settings → General → About, and scroll to EID. If there is an EID, your phone takes eSIMs. Every iPhone from the XS (2018) onwards does.
On Android: Settings → About phone → Status, and look for EID. If there is an EID, your phone takes eSIMs. Most Galaxy S20, Pixel 3 and later do.
It also has to be carrier-unlocked. If you bought it outright or your contract is over, it almost certainly is.
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- 1Choose and payCard, Apple Pay or Google Pay. No account.
- 2Install it at homeThe QR arrives by email. Scan it on wifi in a minute.
- 3Connect when you landTurn on data roaming for the eSIM and you are online.
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade: the New York route
New York's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is one of the holiday's most recognisable events. The city's official security briefing for the 2025 edition confirmed a route starting near West 77th Street and Central Park West, continuing south on Central Park West, turning onto Central Park South and then following Sixth Avenue to the finish at 34th Street beside Macy's Herald Square.
For that edition, the city also identified designated pedestrian crossings along Sixth Avenue and warned that streets near the route would be restricted. The precise crossing points, start times and prohibited items are operational decisions that must be checked again for the year you attend.
The practical mistake is standing on the wrong side of the parade and assuming you can cross Sixth Avenue whenever you like. Choose your viewing area, nearby subway station and exit route together. If you need to meet someone, agree on a location outside the parade cordon.
You can prepare the rest of your visit with our guide to internet in New York.
Which airport travel days are actually busy?
The Federal Aviation Administration's 2025 Thanksgiving outlook predicted more than 360,000 flights across the holiday travel period. It identified the Tuesday before Thanksgiving as the expected peak, with more than 52,000 flights nationwide. Those were forecasts for that particular year, not permanent figures for every Thanksgiving.
They show why a traveller should monitor the whole departure week instead of concentrating only on Thursday. If you are flying into JFK, LaGuardia or Newark for a New York visit, check your airline's flight status and the airport's ground transport information. The FAA's national total does not establish which individual airport will be busiest.
Keep your boarding pass, booking reference, destination address and pickup instructions available without opening your email. If a relative is collecting you, agree on the exact terminal or official pickup area rather than simply saying 'the airport'.
Driving between family homes: what AAA found
AAA's Thanksgiving 2025 forecast identified heavy holiday road travel and highlighted specific metropolitan corridors. One example was New York towards the Hamptons via the eastbound Long Island Expressway, for which its model forecast substantially higher congestion than a typical journey. These were predictions for particular dates and times, not a statement that the road is always congested.
AAA also examined corridors around Washington, Los Angeles and other major cities. The lesson is that the most difficult part of a family journey may be leaving a metropolitan area, rather than the long-distance section of the drive.
Before departing, check road conditions, save the complete address of each family home and download offline maps. Ask relatives about parking restrictions at the destination. If you need to change the route, pull over safely; do not operate the phone while driving.
If your Thanksgiving itinerary involves several households, build in time for stops and possible delays instead of scheduling every visit back-to-back.
Black Friday: shop by neighbourhood, not by advertisement
The day after Thanksgiving is Black Friday. In New York, visitors can organise shopping around Herald Square, where the parade ends at Macy's, and then consider other districts such as Fifth Avenue or SoHo. These are different shopping areas; visiting all of them without planning transport can waste a large part of the day.
Check each store's official opening hours, collection conditions and return policy. A promotion advertised online does not necessarily guarantee availability at a particular branch. If you intend to collect an order, keep the confirmation and any required identification ready.
Use a written list of items, set a spending limit before entering the stores and retain digital receipts. Mobile data can help with directions and retrieving an account, but it cannot guarantee access to a website in every crowded location.
Choose 3, 5, 10 or 20 GB for the US trip
For a brief visit focused on one family gathering, 3 GB may be reasonable if you use messaging, occasional navigation and downloaded maps. Choose 5 GB for a long weekend that combines airports, city sightseeing, a parade and several road journeys. These are planning allowances rather than measured averages.
Choose 10 GB for a week of regular navigation, reservation searches, photo sharing and longer journeys between cities. Consider 20 GB if you will repeatedly share your connection with other devices, upload substantial video or use frequent video calls.
The difference between 5 GB and 20 GB is not the number of family dinners. It is how much media you upload and how many devices depend on your hotspot. Download offline maps and prevent unnecessary automatic backups if you want more control over consumption.
The correct Snoozim pack for the United States
The United States is not included in Snoozim's Europe pack. For this destination, use the country-specific option at United States eSIM. A single-country pack stops providing data after you leave that country. Confirm that your phone is unlocked and eSIM-compatible on the compatibility page. Snoozim emails the QR within minutes; install it at home on Wi-Fi. The plan starts on its first connection at the destination. On arrival, select the eSIM for data and enable roaming on that line. Snoozim provides data, not conventional calls, SMS or a number; WhatsApp retains your existing number. You can use a hotspot and add data to the same eSIM.
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What day is Thanksgiving in the United States?
The fourth Thursday of November. Black Friday is the following Friday. Check the specific calendar year because the numerical dates change.
Where does the Macy's parade run in New York?
The city's verified recent route started at West 77th Street and Central Park West, continued along Central Park South and Sixth Avenue, and finished near Herald Square. Check the current official NYPD and organiser map before attending.
Can I use Snoozim's Europe eSIM in the USA?
No. The United States is not in that regional pack. Use the United States country pack and choose your data allowance according to the length and type of trip.