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Thanksgiving Travel Surges as FAA Expects Busiest Week in 15 Years

Officials urge early arrivals, civility and patience as record volumes strain roads and airports.

Overview

  • More than 52,000 flights are scheduled Tuesday, with the FAA projecting over 360,000 flights through next week during the holiday period.
  • AAA forecasts a record 81.8 million travelers from Nov. 25 to Dec. 1, including roughly 73 million driving, with the worst road congestion expected this afternoon and Wednesday afternoon.
  • TSA expects to screen about 17.8 million passengers through Dec. 2, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is promoting a civility campaign and advising travelers to arrive early.
  • Flight operations have largely normalized after the 43-day shutdown and the lifting of FAA flight caps, though Cirium reports Thanksgiving-period bookings down about 4.48% year over year.
  • Airlines anticipate carrying roughly 31 million passengers through Dec. 1 as weather risks persist, including Arctic air, lake-effect snow around the Great Lakes, and storms across parts of the South and Midwest.