With Thanksgiving approaching, millions of Americans are preparing to hit the highways and head to airports, and some airlines are predicting their busiest Thanksgiving yet.
Here’s what you need to know:
thanksgiving plane travel
AAA predicts that 4.7 million travelers will arrive by air on Thanksgiving, up 6.6 percent from last year, and the highest number of people flying on Thanksgiving since 2005.
According to AAA, the busiest and most expensive days to fly before Thanksgiving are Tuesday, Nov. 21 and Wednesday, Nov. 22.
According to Expedia, the best day to go to the airport for Thanksgiving is Monday, November 20th, when flights are 12% cheaper than November 22nd.
AAA plans 4.7 million travelers to fly over Thanksgiving ABC News Photo Illustration, Expedia, AAA
The Transportation Security Administration said it expects to screen 30 million passengers during the Thanksgiving travel period from Nov. 17 to Nov. 28.
“We expect this year’s holiday season to be the busiest ever, with seven of the top 10 busiest travel days in TSA history already in 2023,” TSA Administrator David Pekoske said in a statement. “There is,” he said. “We are prepared to handle the anticipated volume and are working closely with our airline and airport partners to ensure they are prepared for this busy holiday travel season. ® will do our best to maintain wait time standards of less than 10 minutes.” Less than 30 minutes for standard screening lanes. ”
Hopper said the most popular domestic destinations for this year’s Thanksgiving are New York City, Los Angeles and Orlando, Florida. The most popular cities internationally are London, Tokyo and Paris.
Hopper said the cheapest days to fly home are Friday, November 24th or Monday, November 27th.
United Airlines said it expects it to be its busiest Thanksgiving ever, with more than 5.9 million passengers, an increase of 13% from last year.
United Airlines expects Sunday, November 26, to be one of its busiest days since before the pandemic, with more than 517,000 passengers boarding the plane.
United Airlines said remote work has led to extended holiday travel: Demand for flights on the Monday before Thanksgiving is up nearly 10% compared to 2019, but demand for flights on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving is up only 3%.
American Airlines said it expects a record 7.8 million passengers to fly over the Thanksgiving period.
American Airlines said Sunday, Nov. 26 and Monday, Nov. 27 will be its busiest days.
“I think the best tip we can give is to ask everyone to arrive early for their flight,” said John Bush, director of federal security for the TSA at Reagan National Airport near Washington, D.C. , “The recommendation is always two to three hours before domestic flights.” before boarding an international flight. ”
Thanksgiving Overland Trip
AAA predicts 55.4 million people will drive 80 miles or more from home for Thanksgiving ABC News Photo Illustration, AAA, INRIX
AAA predicts that 55.4 million people will travel more than 80 miles from home on Thanksgiving, up 2.3% from last year, making this the third-highest Thanksgiving forecast since AAA began tracking holiday travel in 2000.
The busiest day on the roads is expected to be Wednesday, November 22, according to traffic analysis firm INRIX. INRIX said drivers should leave their homes in the morning or after 6pm to avoid traffic jams.
According to INRIX, on Sunday, November 26, the worst traffic congestion is expected to be between 3pm and 5pm, and the best time to hit the roads will be before noon.
