You’re geared up. Pre-workout is kicking in. You’ve got your favorite playlist ready to go, and you pull into the parking lot only to find the lights off and the doors locked. It’s a buzzkill. Honestly, there is nothing more annoying than a wasted trip to the gym because of a holiday schedule you didn't check.
Planet Fitness is famous for its "24/7" access, but "all the time" doesn't literally mean every single second of the year. Life happens. Staff want to see their families too.
If you’re wondering exactly when those purple doors stay shut, the answer is mostly straightforward, but with a few franchise-sized "it depends" thrown in for good measure.
The Short Answer: What Holidays is Planet Fitness Closed?
Basically, there are only two days where you can almost guarantee the gym is closed nationwide: Christmas Day and Thanksgiving Day.
For most of the 2,500+ locations across the country, these are the hard "no" days. The corporate side of things generally encourages franchisees to give their teams these two big holidays off. If you’re planning on burning off that turkey on Thursday afternoon or lifting while the kids open presents on December 25th, you're probably out of luck.
But here’s where it gets kinda tricky. Planet Fitness is a franchise-heavy business. While corporate sets the vibe, the person who actually owns your local branch has the final say.
In some rare cases, especially in massive metro areas like New York or Chicago, a club might stay open 365 days a year. Conversely, a small-town club might decide to close for Easter or New Year's Day if they know nobody is coming in.
The "Big Two" Closures
- Christmas Day (December 25): Nearly every single location is closed.
- Thanksgiving Day (Fourth Thursday of November): Expect the doors to be locked. Some locations might have very early morning hours (closing by 10:00 AM), but don't count on it.
What About the "Open but Weird" Holidays?
Then you have the holidays where the gym is "open," but the hours look like a jigsaw puzzle. These are the days you’ll most likely get caught by a "Closed Early" sign.
Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve are the prime suspects here. You’ll usually see the gym open at its normal time—say 5:00 AM—but they’ll pull the plug early, often around 1:00 PM or 4:00 PM. It’s a ghost town by dinner time.
New Year's Day is another weird one. While most are open to capitalize on all those "New Year, New Me" resolutions, they might not open until 7:00 AM or 8:00 AM instead of the usual 24-hour cycle. It's like the gym is also nursing a slight hangover.
Typical Reduced-Hour Holidays
- New Year's Eve: Often closes by 4:00 PM or 6:00 PM.
- New Year's Day: Usually opens late (around 6:00 AM or 8:00 AM).
- Easter Sunday: Varies wildly; many close early, some stay open regular hours.
- Memorial Day / Labor Day / July 4th: Most are open, but many switch to "weekend hours" (closing by 7:00 PM or 9:00 PM) even if it's a Monday.
Why "24/7" Isn't Always a Promise
It’s easy to get frustrated. You pay for a 24-hour membership, right?
The reality of the fitness industry is that keeping a massive building lit, heated, and staffed at 3:00 AM on Christmas morning just doesn't make sense. Most Planet Fitness locations use these rare closures to do deep cleaning or equipment maintenance that’s impossible to do when the floor is packed with people.
Also, keep an eye on where your gym is located. If your Planet Fitness is inside a shopping mall or a retail complex, they are often legally bound by the mall's operating hours. If the mall manager decides the whole building is closing for Easter, the gym has to follow suit, regardless of what the franchise owner wants.
How to Check Your Specific Club Without Guessing
Don't rely on a Google Maps search. Honestly, Google is great, but it often gets holiday hours wrong for specific gym branches because it pulls from "general" data.
The most bulletproof way to check is the Planet Fitness App. Under the "Club Details" section, there is usually a "Holiday Hours" dropdown. This is updated by the local manager.
If you’re old school, just look at the front door. About a week before any major holiday, the staff will almost always tape a neon-colored piece of paper to the glass with the upcoming schedule. Take a photo of it. It’ll save you a frustrated drive in the snow later.
Actionable Tips for Holiday Workouts
Since you know the gym might be closed or closing early, you've got to pivot.
First, move your workout to the morning. On holidays like Christmas Eve or the 4th of July, gyms that close early almost always do so in the late afternoon. If you get it done by 9:00 AM, you’re safe.
Second, if the gym is totally closed, use the PF App’s digital workouts. If you’re a member, you have access to a ton of trainer-led videos you can do in your living room. It's not the same as hitting the bench press, but it's better than nothing while the gym is dark.
Finally, just ask the front desk staff. "Hey, what are your hours for Monday?" They hear it a thousand times a day, but they'd rather tell you now than have you show up to a locked door.
Check the app today and look at the "Club Info" section for your home gym. If no holiday hours are listed yet, grab the phone number from that same screen and give them a quick call before you head out on your next holiday break.