1. Upper West Side
FitsWatching the start along Central Park West
Approach from Columbus or Amsterdam Avenue and walk east. Do not plan a stop on Central Park West.
Thanksgiving parade transportation
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2026
Updated September 22, 2026
The 100th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is Thursday, November 26, 2026. It is scheduled to start around 8:30 a.m. at West 77th Street and Central Park West, go down Central Park West to Columbus Circle, then down Sixth Avenue to Macy's Herald Square at 34th Street, about three miles. Confirm the start at macys.com/parade. Drop off the route, not on it.
The date
Thursday, November 26, 2026
This is the 100th parade. The published start is around 8:30 a.m. Check macys.com/parade before you lock a pickup time.
The route
Central Park West, then Sixth Avenue
West 77th and Central Park West, south to Columbus Circle, then Sixth Avenue to Herald Square at 34th Street. About three miles. Treat that line as closed to cars.
The booking
Off-route drop, hourly if you stay
Sedan $120 an hour, three-hour minimum $360. SUV $150 ($450). S-Class $175 ($525). Sprinter $200 ($600).
Parade morning: drop-off, hold, and airport trips
Swipe sideways to read every column. The same choices are repeated as cards below.
| Choice | When it fits | What changes the booking |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Upper West Side | Watching the start along Central Park West | Approach from Columbus or Amsterdam Avenue and walk east. Do not plan a stop on Central Park West. |
| 2. Sixth Avenue | A Midtown hotel or a block along the march | Use Seventh Avenue or a side street still open, then walk. The NYPD map that week is the list that matters. |
| 3. Herald Square | The store end of the route | Stay off Broadway, Sixth, and 34th while the parade is in that crossing. Walk the last blocks. |
| 4. Car hold and airports | A ride back, or a flight the same morning | Hourly waits off the route. Book JFK, LaGuardia, or Newark separately, and do not cross the route at the 8:30 a.m. start. |
2. Sixth Avenue
FitsA Midtown hotel or a block along the march
Use Seventh Avenue or a side street still open, then walk. The NYPD map that week is the list that matters.
3. Herald Square
FitsThe store end of the route
Stay off Broadway, Sixth, and 34th while the parade is in that crossing. Walk the last blocks.
4. Car hold and airports
FitsA ride back, or a flight the same morning
Hourly waits off the route. Book JFK, LaGuardia, or Newark separately, and do not cross the route at the 8:30 a.m. start.
The route is a closed line, not a pickup lane
Central Park West and Sixth Avenue are the show. NYPD publishes the closure map in the days before Thanksgiving. Until that map is out, plan every stop a few blocks off the line of march. Confirm the 2026 advisory before you tell guests a corner is open.
- 1.Name the hotel door and the off-route corner you hope to use
- 2.Leave earlier than a normal Thursday, because barricades go up before the broadcast
- 3.Give one phone number for the person who decides when you are done
- 4.Keep an airport departure off parade morning unless the flight cannot move
When the 100th parade runs, and which way it goes
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2026 is the 100th, on Thursday, November 26. Public guides put the start around 8:30 a.m. at West 77th Street and Central Park West. The route goes down Central Park West to Columbus Circle, then down Sixth Avenue to Macy's Herald Square at 34th Street, about three miles. Confirm the minute at macys.com/parade. If the hotel is on Central Park West or on Sixth Avenue in the parade zone, leave on foot to a street that is still open and meet the car there.
Where to be dropped, and where not to stop
For the opening stretch, come in from Columbus Avenue or Amsterdam Avenue and walk east to Central Park West. For Sixth Avenue, come from Seventh Avenue or from a side street west of the route. Near the finish, stay off the Herald Square crossing and use a side street south or west of 34th. These are approaches, not an official curb list. The open corner on November 26 is whichever block NYPD has left open. Tell the chauffeur the corner you prefer, and to use the nearest open block if barricades have moved. A stop in front of the balloons puts the car into a closed avenue.
Closures, and keeping the car for the ride back
Expect closures along the course from well before the 8:30 a.m. start, including cross streets that feed Central Park West and Sixth Avenue. The full list is an NYPD product for that week. Do not treat a prior-year map as the 2026 plan. If the same car should collect you, book hourly so the chauffeur waits off the route. Starting rates are $120 an hour for a sedan, $150 for an SUV, $175 for an S-Class, and $200 for a Sprinter. Three hours is $360, $450, $525, and $600. A one-way ride, floored at $130 for a sedan and $160 for an SUV, is only a single drop to an open corner. It does not include a pickup later. Three hours is the minimum even if you watch for less. There is no flat parade rate.
Thanksgiving airport runs on the same morning
Parade viewing and an airport transfer are different jobs. From the Upper West Side or a Midtown hotel, the way to LaGuardia, JFK, or Newark crosses the parade. Leave before the avenues lock, or put the detour on the quote. A Wednesday, November 25 arrival or a Friday departure is a normal airport booking: flight number, terminal, bags, and the hotel door. Book that separately from Thursday morning. Teterboro and Westchester County Airport still require a car out of the city. If the group leaves on two flights, send a passenger count for each leg.
Vehicle choice for a family or a small group
A sedan or an S-Class is enough for two or three people. An SUV is the usual choice when children, coats, and a stroller are part of the curb. A Sprinter is for a group leaving one hotel for the same off-route corner. Confirm the seat count before you add people. Give the hotel entrance, not just the brand name. Reserve one vehicle from the booking page. A sedan for grandparents and a Sprinter for everyone else is two vehicles. Send that through the contact form so the corners match.
FAQ
What day is the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2026?
Thursday, November 26, 2026. It is the 100th parade. It is scheduled to start around 8:30 a.m. Confirm the time at macys.com/parade before you set the pickup.
What is the route?
It starts at West 77th Street and Central Park West, goes down Central Park West to Columbus Circle, then down Sixth Avenue to Macy's Herald Square at 34th Street. The route is about three miles.
Can the chauffeur wait on Sixth Avenue?
No. Plan a drop-off off the route and, if you need a ride afterward, an hourly hold on a street that is still open. The three-hour minimum starts at $360 for a sedan, $450 for an SUV, $525 for an S-Class, and $600 for a Sprinter.
How should we book a Thanksgiving airport trip?
Book it separately from parade viewing, with the flight number and terminal. Avoid crossing Central Park West or Sixth Avenue at the start. Use the JFK, LaGuardia, or Newark pages for the meeting pattern at that airport.
Is there a flat parade rate?
No. Hourly rates start at $120, $150, $175, and $200, with a three-hour minimum. One-way sedan and SUV floors are $130 and $160. Tolls and extra wait are on the quote.
Related NYC black car resources
Hourly car service if the same car should collect youLaGuardia car service for a Thanksgiving flightJFK car service, booked apart from parade streetsNewark car service when the flight is in New JerseySprinter van rental NYC for one hotel group
Need a car for this plan? Reserve a car or send the itinerary.