SPX expiration guide

SPX Options Expiration Dates

SPX expiration logic has two different layers: the standard monthly SPX cycle and the short-dated SPXW series. This page separates the AM-settled monthly reference dates from the PM-settled weekly context that traders often search for.

Standard SPX monthly

Third Friday cycle

Standard monthly SPX options use the monthly cycle, adjusted earlier for market holidays.

SPXW series

PM-settled short dates

SPXW is used for weekly and end-of-month short-dated S&P 500 index expirations.

June 2026 monthly

Thursday, June 18, 2026

The standard June 2026 cycle moves because Friday, June 19 is Juneteenth.

Settlement caveat

Do not mix standard SPX and SPXW in one unlabelled dataset

SPX and SPXW can appear close together in option chains, but they should not be collapsed into a single undifferentiated expiration series. Standard monthly SPX options are generally AM-settled, while SPXW weekly and end-of-month options are generally PM-settled. A backtest or risk report that ignores this distinction can assign the wrong settlement reference to the contract and misread the final trading window.

The practical solution is simple: store the root, expiration date, settlement family, and source symbol separately. Use monthly tables for the standard cycle, use SPXW-specific logic for short-dated index expirations, and make the contract symbol itself available in logs so a disputed result can be traced back to the exact listed instrument.

2026 standard monthly SPX reference dates

These dates are the standard monthly anchors. SPXW weekly and end-of-month expirations can add more dates around this table.

MonthDateCycleNote
JanuaryFriday, January 16, 2026MonthlyStandard monthly OpEx
FebruaryFriday, February 20, 2026MonthlyStandard monthly OpEx
MarchFriday, March 20, 2026QuarterlyQuarterly OpEx month
AprilFriday, April 17, 2026MonthlyStandard monthly OpEx
MayFriday, May 15, 2026MonthlyStandard monthly OpEx
JuneThursday, June 18, 2026QuarterlyMoved from June 19, 2026 for a market holiday
JulyFriday, July 17, 2026MonthlyStandard monthly OpEx
AugustFriday, August 21, 2026MonthlyStandard monthly OpEx
SeptemberFriday, September 18, 2026QuarterlyQuarterly OpEx month
OctoberFriday, October 16, 2026MonthlyStandard monthly OpEx
NovemberFriday, November 20, 2026MonthlyStandard monthly OpEx
DecemberFriday, December 18, 2026QuarterlyQuarterly OpEx month

2027 standard monthly SPX reference dates

June 2027 is holiday-adjusted because Juneteenth is observed on Friday, June 18, 2027.

MonthDateCycleNote
JanuaryFriday, January 15, 2027MonthlyStandard monthly OpEx
FebruaryFriday, February 19, 2027MonthlyStandard monthly OpEx
MarchFriday, March 19, 2027QuarterlyQuarterly OpEx month
AprilFriday, April 16, 2027MonthlyStandard monthly OpEx
MayFriday, May 21, 2027MonthlyStandard monthly OpEx
JuneThursday, June 17, 2027QuarterlyMoved from June 18, 2027 for a market holiday
JulyFriday, July 16, 2027MonthlyStandard monthly OpEx
AugustFriday, August 20, 2027MonthlyStandard monthly OpEx
SeptemberFriday, September 17, 2027QuarterlyQuarterly OpEx month
OctoberFriday, October 15, 2027MonthlyStandard monthly OpEx
NovemberFriday, November 19, 2027MonthlyStandard monthly OpEx
DecemberFriday, December 17, 2027QuarterlyQuarterly OpEx month

API workflow

Fetch listed expirations, then decode the contract symbol

SPX workflows should confirm listed dates before requesting contracts. After selecting a date, keep the OCC ticker in the downstream record because the root and expiration together identify which settlement family and product convention the model is actually observing.

curl "https://api.cutemarkets.com/v1/tickers/expirations/SPX/" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"

curl "https://api.cutemarkets.com/v1/options/contracts/?underlying_ticker=SPX&expiration_date=2026-06-18&limit=100" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"

Last verified

Date-sensitive calendar references on this page were checked on April 27, 2026. Calendar math is useful for planning, but listed contracts and exchange calendars should still be verified before production workflows run.

SPX expiration FAQ

What is the difference between SPX and SPXW options?

Standard monthly SPX options are generally AM-settled. SPXW is the PM-settled weekly and end-of-month S&P 500 index option series commonly used for short-dated index workflows.

When is standard monthly SPX expiration?

Standard monthly SPX expirations follow the third-Friday monthly cycle, adjusted earlier when the market is closed on that Friday.

Can SPXW expire on days other than Friday?

Yes. Cboe lists SPXW weekly expirations across multiple weekdays, subject to listing rules and holidays. Confirm the listed contract before trading or modeling.

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