How Thanksgiving 2025 and Black Friday disrupt global air freight

The Thanksgiving holiday in the United States falls on Thursday, November 27, 2025, and will once again have a significant impact on air freight operations, customs clearance, and general cargo flows within the USA and internationally.
But did you know that Black Friday in the U.S. also affects air freight departing from China and wider Asia? The peak of e-commerce exports ahead of U.S. retail sales absorbs a large share of global cargo capacity — often before industrial shippers even realise it.

Holiday closures and logistics impact

Most companies, freight forwarders, and U.S. Customs offices will close on Thanksgiving Day (Nov 27) and the Friday after (Nov 28), leading to reduced processing, slower responses, and shipment backlogs extending into the following week.

Passenger air traffic will also surge on Wednesday, Nov 26, and Sunday, Nov 30, among the busiest travel days of the year. This reduces the space available for general cargo loaded in passenger aircraft bellies, increasing the risk of flight delays, cancellations, and missed connections.

General cargo logistics processes slow down — but premium emergency solutions such as On Board Courier (OBC) and Next Flight Out (NFO) continue operating, allowing time-critical cargo to move faster than standard freight options during this period.

Black Friday air cargo surge from China and Asia

Every year, the Black Friday retail season drives exceptionally high demand for air freight between China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the USA. Consumer goods fill much of the available capacity, pushing freight rates upward and limiting options for industrial cargo.

Airlines also reposition wide-body aircraft onto high-demand e-commerce routes, leaving some onward connections operated by smaller narrow-body aircraft with limited cargo hold capacity. This creates operational challenges for supply chain and logistics planners attempting to maintain logistics flows.

Key dates and expected logistics effects

How to mitigate logistics slowdowns?

• Communicate early with suppliers regarding holiday schedules and cut-off times.
• Check known-shipper status with your U.S. suppliers. If they are not known shippers, secure cargo-only capacity at least one week before Thanksgiving.
• General cargo: book earlier than usual with your traditional freight forwarder to secure space and minimise bottlenecks.
• Asia: expect higher freight rates and limited space from China and surrounding regions — anticipate accordingly.
• Time-critical or last-minute need? Turn to premium solutions (OBC, NFO) that remain fast, flexible, and reliable even when standard freight options are saturated.

How can premium services protect your production during peak periods?

Premium services offer clear operational and financial advantages during peak periods:

• Significantly faster and more reliable transit times, even when standard capacity is saturated
• Reduced risk of production stoppages, limiting the financial impact of unplanned downtime
• Greater control and visibility over time-critical flows, helping your logistics teams meet strict deadlines
• Improved service continuity, keeping internal stakeholders and industrial customers confident and satisfied

24/7 support for urgent shipments

Air Time Critical® remains fully operational throughout the Thanksgiving and Black Friday period.
Our logistics operations run 24/7, and our specialists organise priority air freight, hand-carry deliveries, and dedicated air charters within Europe to help maintain supply chain continuity.

When timing is critical and every hour counts, our experts provide the right door-to-door time-critical air logistics solution — from the United States to Europe and worldwide.

Contact us anytime to secure your next urgent shipment.

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