Thanksgiving travel in the United States is reaching unprecedented levels, with millions of Americans flocking to airports, roads, and cruise ships ahead of the holiday. On Tuesday, approximately 2.7 million passengers passed through airport security checkpoints across the country, marking a historic high for the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, according to the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA). This figure surpassed last year’s record and signals the start of what is expected to be a record-breaking travel season.
The day before Thanksgiving, traditionally one of the busiest travel days of the year, is projected to see an even larger surge in passenger volume. Industry analysts predict that Wednesday, as well as Sunday, December 1, will each see over 3 million air travelers, based on data from Airlines for America, a trade group representing the airline industry.
Travelers could face disruptions as winter weather systems move across the country. The East and West coasts are under winter storm warnings, and the Midwest is bracing for extreme cold temperatures, with some areas expecting lows as low as -40 degrees Fahrenheit, according to William Churchill, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service Weather Prediction Center in College Park, Maryland.
Churchill noted that while the weather conditions are typical for a winter holiday season, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has warned that adverse weather combined with the high travel volume is likely to cause significant flight delays.
Air Travel Bottlenecks and Delays
Air traffic bottlenecks have already been reported, with United Airlines highlighting a critical shortage of air traffic controllers at its Newark, New Jersey hub as a major factor in Tuesday’s disruptions. Nationwide, over 4,800 flights were delayed and 82 were canceled, according to FlightAware, a flight tracking platform. To alleviate delays, the FAA is implementing traffic flow management measures to address the staffing shortages.
Record Road and Cruise Travel
The American Automobile Association (AAA) predicts a record 80 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles this Thanksgiving period. In addition to the high volume of road travelers, cruise travel has seen a significant uptick, with cruise lines reporting a 20% increase in passengers compared to previous years.
Royal Caribbean Group announced that nearly its entire fleet will be in operation from November 26 to December 2, accommodating approximately 150,000 passengers. The company attributed the strong demand for holiday cruises to the increased interest in vacation travel this season.
Despite potential weather-related challenges, Thanksgiving travel is on track to set new records, highlighting both the resilience and enthusiasm of travelers heading into the holiday season.
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