The oldest known thrips, order Thysanoptera, are described from the Late Triassic of Virginia and Kazakhstan: Triassothrips virginicus Grimaldi and Fraser, new genus and species (Cow Branch Formation: Carnian), and Kazachothrips triassicus Shmakov, new genus and species (Tologoy Formation: Carnian–Norian). Prior to this the oldest definitive thysanopterans were from the Late Jurassic of Kazakhstan (Kimmeridgian), some 80 My younger. Well-preserved, relatively complete, wing venation indicates the Triassic thrips are phylogenetically the basalmost thysanopterans, and their venation even allows identification and homologizing the highly reduced veins in Recent thrips. Another basal thrips is described from mid–Cretaceous (Turonian) amber of New Jersey, Cretothrips antiquus Grimaldi, new genus and species, which is similar to several Recent genera of Aeolothripidae. A phylogenetic hypothesis of basal relationships in Thysanoptera based on wing venation supports a basal relationship for Aeolothripidae and derived position for Phlaeothripidae among Recent families.