These Will Be the Busiest Days for Air Travel as Millions Are Expected to Fly for Thanksgiving

Millions of travelers are expected to take to the skies for Thanksgiving, leading to record-breaking numbers and busy airports.

In all, 5.84 million people are forecast to fly domestically over the Thanksgiving holiday period from Tuesday, Nov. 26, to Monday, Dec. 2, according to AAA. That’s 2 percent more than last year and nearly 11 percent more than 2019.

“Thanksgiving is the busiest holiday for travel, and this year we’re expecting to set new records across the board, from driving to flying and cruising,” Stacey Barber, the vice president of AAA Travel, said in a statement. “Americans reconnect with family and friends over Thanksgiving, and travel is a big part of that. AAA continues to see travel demand soar post-pandemic with our members looking for new adventures and memorable vacations.”

While people are flying in record numbers, they’re also paying more. In fact, AAA said travelers are paying three percent more for domestic Thanksgiving flights this year.

However, the opposite is true for international travel. There, flight prices are actually down five percent, which is why it’s no surprise international bookings are up 23 percent compared to last year. 

Major airlines are also anticipating a record-breaking holiday. United Airlines, for example, told Travel + Leisure it expects to see its busiest Thanksgiving travel period ever with more than 6.2 million passengers forecast to fly between Nov. 21 and Dec. 3 — that’s equal to nearly 480,000 people per day.

United said Saturday, Nov. 30, and Sunday, Dec. 1, are forecast to be the busiest days. Many travelers are also planning on leaving soon after Turkey Day since travel for the Friday, Saturday, and Sunday after the holiday is up more than 20 percent compared to last year.

“We anticipate this will be our busiest Thanksgiving holiday travel period on record and our team members are well-prepared to help more customers than ever connect with their friends, family and loved ones this season,” David Kinzelman, United’s senior vice president of airport operations and chief customer officer, said in a statement shared with T+L. “We’ve made significant investments across our business to help customers save time at the airport, navigate the crowds and arrive at their destinations safely and quickly.”

American Airlines plans to welcome even more passengers, with nearly 8.3 million customers expected to fly from Nov. 21 to Dec. 3, according to the airline — which means serving more than 6.8 million Biscoff cookies on board, in case you were wondering. Similar to United, Sunday, Dec. 1, will be the busiest day for American.

While airports will undoubtedly be packed for the holidays this year, travelers hoping to avoid the crowds should consider flying out at around 7 a.m. on Sundays and avoid flying from about 10 a.m. to noon on Saturdays, according to data from Google shared with T+L.

When it comes to domestic trips, travelers are seeking out warm-weather getaways with Orlando, Miami, and Fort Lauderdale the top three destinations over the holiday. For trips either abroad or to the Caribbean, Budapest is the most popular destination, followed by Mexicali, the capital of Baja California in Mexico, and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Overall, 79.9 million travelers are forecast to travel for Thanksgiving, according to AAA, with the large majority (71.7 million) expected to drive.