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The American Eagle Black Friday sale isn’t as good as it once was, but we still have high hopes for 2022. If you’ve been waiting for bigger discounts on American Eagle mom jeans, you’ll want to add AE Black Friday to your 2022 calendar.

American Eagle’s main Black Friday event starts with their Friendsgiving Sale on Nov. 18, but you can usually score some better deals before then. The deals are usually online and in stores, but early offers are sometimes online only.

Here are the best tips for shopping and saving big during American Eagle’s Black Friday sale, and don’t forget to check out all the latest American Eagle deals available now.

Want Black Friday deal alerts sent right to your phone? Text BLACKFRIDAY to 57299 to get on the list.

 

1. Expect the American Eagle Black Friday ad to drop on Nov. 18, 2022.

american eagle store in mall

American Eagle’s Black Friday ad will drop alongside their Friendsgiving sale, which starts a week before Black Friday. As soon as the Friendsgiving sale starts, you’ll basically see deals for at least 30% off through the rest of November.

Is American Eagle closed on Thanksgiving 2022?

American Eagle stores will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, but you can still shop Black Friday deals online.

What time does American Eagle open on Black Friday?

American Eagle stores will likely open for their normal hours on Black Friday, starting at 10 a.m. ET. Be sure to call your local American Eagle or Aerie store for the most accurate holiday hours.

 

2. American Eagle has three waves of Black Friday deals.

Blue turtleneck sweater on sale for 60% off at American Eagle store

American Eagle usually sticks to the same schedule for their Black Friday and November sales. You’ll find deals throughout the whole month, but American Eagle won’t promote the early deals as part of their official Black Friday sale. Finally, American Eagle drops its Friendsgiving Sale one week before Black Friday, with deals running through the end of the month and beyond.

When will American Eagle Black Friday start in 2022?

  • Nov. 1 – 4: Early Black Friday deals online
  • Nov. 11 – 15: Early Black Friday deals online
  • Nov. 18 – 27: Friendsgiving Sale / Black Friday deals online and in stores

 

3. The first wave of early Black Friday deals dropped the first week of November.

a woman looking a clearance sweaters in american eagle store

American Eagle runs their first sale in the early days of November, and some deals are actually better than the Black Friday ones.

Early Black Friday Deals going on right now:

All deals expire at 5 a.m. ET on the noted date.

 

4. American Eagle’s Friendsgiving Sale will start on Nov. 18.

a ipad with american eagle ad on table next to shopping bag

American Eagle kicks off their Friendsgiving Sale a week before Black Friday, and all the Black Friday deals will be available to shop then. In 2022, you can expect the Friendsgiving Sale to start on Nov. 18. Last year, the Friendsgiving Sale ended on the Sunday after Black Friday. That day will fall on Nov. 27 in 2022.

Here were the deals from American Eagle’s Friendsgiving sale last year:

  • 25% off all jeans
  • 30% – 40% off the entire Aerie collection
  • 40% off Aerie sweatshirts
  • 50% off Aerie bralettes and sports bras
  • 10 for $35 all Aerie undies

 

 

5. Sign up for Real Rewards to get exclusive American Eagle Black Friday savings.

real rewards sign in american eagle store

Whether you’re a regular at American Eagle or you’re just stopping by for Black Friday, you need to sign up for the Real Rewards program. It’ll save you 10% – 20% more on American Eagle Black Friday deals.

It’s free to be a level 1 Real Rewards member, but you have to spend a certain amount of money each year to reach a level 2 or 3 membership. Still, free members get to shop exclusive sales in November, score extra discounts on Black Friday prices, and get special gifts and rewards on select purchases. Real Rewards also gives you points every time you shop (10 points per $1 spent for level 1 members), and you get a $5 reward for every 1,250 points you earn.

Here were some of the exclusive Real Rewards deals from Nov. 2021:

  • 40% off joggers and leggings for Real Rewards members for Aerie Days, One Day Only (Nov. 2)
  • 30% off all Aerie sweaters plus an extra 10% off for Real Rewards members, One Day Only (Nov. 9)
  • Up to 60% off the Aerie collection plus an extra 10% off for Real Rewards members, One Day Only (Nov. 16)
  • Exclusive 10 for $35 Aerie Undies for Real Rewards members for Aerie Days, One Day Only (Nov. 20)
  • Free Cozy Fair Isle Blanket with any $100+ purchase in stores (Nov. 19 – 21)
  • Earn a $5 bonus reward with a $100+ purchase in stores and online (Nov. 24 – 29)

 

6. American Eagle’s standard Black Friday discounts are 30% – 40% (but aim to save more).

a woman holding an american eagle bag outside store

In 2020, American Eagle’s main Black Friday discount was 40% off, but it went down to 30% in 2021. We’re hoping they bring back the bigger discount this year, but you’ll have plenty of other great deals to jump on through the whole month of November — and some of them are better than Black Friday.

Want to boost your Black Friday savings? Use these tips to score bigger discounts at American Eagle:

For a full list of tips, check out our complete guide to American Eagle sale hacks.

 

7. The 10 for $35 on Aerie undies is one of the best Black Friday deals at American Eagle.

aerie undies in store image 2021 3

Aerie undies usually sell for $8.95 each. But during American Eagle’s Black Friday sale, you’ll have the chance to buy 10 Aerie undies for just $35. That’s over 63% off their regular price!

Aerie usually runs an ongoing promo for undies — six for $30. With the Black Friday deal, you’ll still save $1.50 per pair compared to the normal offer.

 

8. Don’t buy American Eagle Jeans at 25% off — you’ll find better discounts before and after Black Friday.

a woman looking a jeans in american eagle store

American Eagle jeans usually have a lower discount than everything else on Black Friday. In 2021, American Eagle offered 30% off everything and only 25% off jeans for Black Friday. But starting on Cyber Monday, jeans were included in the 30% discount. American Eagle has stuck to this trend for the past three years, so we’re pretty confident you can expect the same for 2022. In fact, right now, everything at American Eagle, including jeans, are 60% off. This sale ends 11/15.

You’ll also find clearance jeans from $19.99 – $24.99 during the first wave of online-only sales in November. Our best advice is to check for deals on American Eagle jeans throughout the whole month and pay close attention to those three major sale waves. Don’t forget, you’ll earn two times the points on jeans as a Real Rewards member, so you’ll get 20 points per $1 spent on jeans with your free membership!

 

9. Ask American Eagle for a price adjustment if you find a lower price within 14 days.

someone comparing receipt with price tag

Let’s say you buy a pair of jeans at 25% off for Black Friday. But when you head to AE.com to shop on Cyber Monday just a few days later, you see a lower price for that same pair of jeans. American Eagle lets you request a price adjustment within 14 days if you find a lower price. So if there’s a better deal on the same item within two weeks of your purchase, you can still get the lower sale price.

To request a price adjustment, bring your item to the store with proof of the lower price or contact American Eagle Customer Service and speak to a representative.

 

 

10. Buy discounted American Eagle gift cards from Raise and save up to 12% for Black Friday.

a person holding up a american eagle gift card next to a cellphone with raise app on screen

If you’ve never heard of Raise.com, prepare to be thrilled by this exciting information. Raise lets you buy and sell gift cards at a discounted price. Right now, you can buy American Eagle gift cards from Raise for 12% off the gift card amount.

If you’re serious about saving for Black Friday, buy a discounted American Eagle gift card from Raise well in advance (like, right now). Then use your discounted gift card to pay for your Black Friday purchases at American Eagle. You’ll get to stack the 12% gift card discount with other Black Friday deals available in 2022.

 

11. Skip the $75 free shipping minimum and choose free curbside or store pickup instead.

woman walking out american eagle store in mall

If you’re shopping for American Eagle Black Friday deals online, you’ll have to spend at least $75 to get free shipping on your order. If you don’t spend at least $75, you’ll pay $7 for standard shipping or $15 for 2-day shipping.

If you don’t plan on spending that much, you can pick up your order for free at an American Eagle store near you. Head into the store to grab some last-minute items or pick up your order curbside, instead.

Keep in mind: Level 2 Real Rewards members get free shipping on $50+ purchases, while level 3 members get free shipping on all purchases.

 

12. Join ShopRunner for free 2-day shipping on American Eagle purchases.

person with a laptop sitting on couch with american eagle page on shop runner website

ShopRunner members get free 2-day shipping at popular stores like American Eagle, Saks Off 5th, Coach, Kate Spade, and more. Once you sign up for ShopRunner, you’ll have the option to choose free 2-day shipping when you check out at eligible stores. Just make sure you’re signed in to your ShopRunner account when you choose your shipping method.

You also get free returns with ShopRunner, so if you don’t love what you ordered, you can print a return label through ShopRunner and send your order back for free.

You’ll get a complimentary ShopRunner membership for spending $120 at American Eagle when you sign up. Or get a complimentary membership if you have an AmEx card or PayPal account!

 

13. Don’t stress over Black Friday returns — American Eagle’s return policy is more than flexible.

n american eagle receipt being held above store area

American Eagle’s return policy is extremely generous, which takes the stress out of holiday shopping in a big way. You can take as much time as you need to return items you don’t want to keep — even if you’ve already removed the tags!

You still have to be realistic about returns though; like you can’t return anything that’s been stained or ripped or damaged in any way. But you won’t have to rush to get your return mailed in after Black Friday. You can even wait for the year-end holidays to wrap up before you get back to the store.

American Eagle Black Friday Sale: How to Save Big on Jeans, Sweaters & More