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AAA Projects Record Thanksgiving Travel as FAA Expects Busiest Air Rush in 15 Years

Peak congestion is forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons, with airports urging early arrivals.

Overview

  • AAA forecasts 81.8 million people will travel at least 50 miles for Thanksgiving, up about 1.6 million from last year.
  • Roughly 73 million travelers are expected to drive, with the worst traffic projected Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons and heavy returns Sunday.
  • About 6.07 million people are expected to fly, and the FAA says Tuesday will be the busiest day with more than 52,000 flights scheduled.
  • Airlines have returned to normal schedules after earlier November staffing issues, though recent delays and some cancellations persist, so travelers should plan for potential disruptions.
  • In Texas, AAA estimates 5.8 million residents will travel, Austin-Bergstrom advises arriving 2½ hours early for domestic flights and 3 hours for international, and gas averages about $3.09 nationally and $2.61 in Texas.