More people travel for Thanksgiving than any other holiday in the United States, and they leave or board a plane almost a week early. Friday – November 17th this year – is generally considered the start of the leisure travel season, which extends to the Tuesday after the holiday, November 28th this year.
It’s already been a record year for travel: The Transportation Security Administration experienced seven of the 10 busiest days in its history in 2023, said Administrator David Pekoske. According to a press release, the TSA expects to screen more than 30 million travelers during this period. In the past, the three busiest days were the Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Sunday after.
And don’t expect any respite on the road—most Americans get to their vacation destinations by car. According to AAA, more than 55 million people are expected to travel at least 50 miles to their Thanksgiving destination between Wednesday, November 22nd and Sunday, November 26th, and more than 49 million of them will drive. The organization expects this year to see the third-highest travel numbers for the holiday route since 2000, marking a return to pre-pandemic levels.
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Here you can find out what to expect – and when.
The days before the holiday: Friday – Tuesday
Travel and transportation companies said people traveling for vacation tend to spread out their departure days, meaning travelers won’t face as much congestion in the days leading up to Wednesday.
While Friday, Nov. 17, is expected to be the fourth-busiest air traffic of the period, according to the trade group Airlines for America, the number of flights will increase on Saturday, Nov. 18, and Sunday, Nov. 19, according to the Federal Aviation Administration, the number of flights increased from an estimated 39,055 to 44,147.
Travel on the Monday before Thanksgiving has traditionally been lower than other days near the holiday, but United Airlines noted in its announcement that travel on off-peak days is becoming busier compared to 2019 — thanks in part to remote work. The airline said demand on the Monday before Thanksgiving was up nearly 10% compared to 2019 – while demand on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving was up just 3%. Still, according to the FAA, more than 46,000 flights are scheduled for Monday, November 20 – more than on Saturday or Sunday, but far fewer than the peak travel day, Wednesday.
On Tuesday, November 21st, the TSA expects to screen 2.6 million passengers; The FAA forecasts more than 48,000 flights that day.
The day before Thanksgiving: Wednesday, November 22nd
If you’re traveling on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, you’ll have plenty of company. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, that day has the most flights scheduled – 49,606 of them in the US, to be exact.
The TSA expects to screen 2.7 million passengers on Wednesday, and the trade group Airlines for America says it will be the second-busiest day of the holiday season for air travelers.
According to AAA, Wednesday is also the day when most drivers will be on the road, citing data from transportation data company Inrix. If you’re loading up the car that day, try to head out before 11 a.m., the group said – the busiest time for car travelers is between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m
“The day before Thanksgiving is known to be one of the busiest days on our roads. Travelers should prepare for long delays, especially in and around major metropolitan areas,” said Bob Pishue, transportation analyst at INRIX. “Knowing when and where congestion will occur can help minimize holiday traffic frustrations. We encourage drivers to use traffic apps, local DOT alerts and 511 services for real-time updates.”
Thanksgiving, Thursday, November 23rd and Black Friday, November 24th
Thanksgiving itself is one of the easier travel days during the holiday: Airlines for America calls it the easiest travel day of the period for air travelers. If you plan to drive, AAA recommends doing so before 10 a.m. or after 5 p.m., with the busiest time on the roads expected to be between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m
And while the FAA is forecasting more flights on Friday than Saturday – 44,744, nearly as many as on Sunday, versus 41,640 on Saturday – Airlines for America expects Saturday to be the fifth busiest of the Thanksgiving leg.
If you’re planning on hitting early Black Friday sales at brick-and-mortar stores at your vacation destination, give yourself a break before heading back home. According to INRIX, congestion will be heaviest between 12 p.m. and 4 p.m., while roads will be less crowded before 11 a.m. and after 7 p.m
Saturday November 25th, Sunday November 26th and Monday November 27th
According to the FAA, nearly 42,000 flights are scheduled for Saturday and nearly 45,000 flights for Sunday. Overall, Airlines for America expects Sunday to be its busiest travel day with more than 3.2 million passengers.
This expectation is also shared by the TSA, which, according to the TSA, expects to screen 2.9 million airline passengers on Sunday, November 26th. United Airlines also announced that Sunday will be one of the company’s busiest travel days since before the pandemic. More than 517,000 people are expected to fly on a United flight that day, 60,000 more than last year, according to a company press release.
While data firm Cirium predicts Sunday will be the busiest travel day of the year, passengers will continue to hit the road on Monday – according to AAA: “While Sunday is typically the busiest day to return home, AAA- Data shows that Monday is also a popular day.” Day to fly back after Thanksgiving.
American Airlines said Sunday will be its busiest travel day, with 6,100 and 6,000 departures, respectively, and Monday will be the second busiest travel day. Delta expects its peak travel days during the period to be Sunday and Monday, and Airlines for America said the two days during the Thanksgiving travel season will be the first and third busiest travel days for air travel, respectively.
And if you’re lugging Thanksgiving food supplies or leftovers home afterward, TSA says you need to be prepared for likely additional screening if you have food in your carry-on bag and know what goes in a checked bag instead.
“If it can be spilled, spread, sprayed, pumped or poured and it is larger than 3.4 ounces, then it should go in a checked bag,” the TSA said on its website. “If you need to keep items cool during your trip, ice packs are permitted, but they must be frozen solid and not melted at security.”
Pie, turkey and stuffing can continue, the TSA noted, but cranberry sauce, gravy and wine must be checked. And if you’re traveling, the agency recommends packing them so you can easily remove them from your bag and placing them in a trash can for inspection when it’s your turn at the checkpoint.
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Allison Elyse Gualtieri