I’ve covered every Thanksgiving for the last three decades as a travel journalist. I’ve offered expert advice on how to avoid those patience-testing lines at the airport, the mind-numbing traffic, and the maddening air travel delays.
But this holiday is different — and it’s made me change direction in a way I never expected.
It’s going to be the busiest Thanksgiving ever
AAA projects a record 79.9 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more this Thanksgiving. That’s 1.7 million more travelers than last year and 2 million more than in 2019.
The skies will be particularly crowded, with 5.84 million people expected to fly domestically – a 2 percent increase from 2023 and an 11 percent jump from 2019.
But it’s not just the volume of travelers that worries me. It’s everything else that can go wrong. (Related: This is how to easily avoid common holiday travel mistakes.)
First, there’s the weather. AccuWeather warns of back-to-back storms that could wreak havoc on travel plans. From rain and snow on the West Coast to gusty winds in the Northeast, Mother Nature seems determined to test your holiday resolve. (Related: It’s holiday travel time! You heard it here first!)
Then there’s the airport chaos. The TSA predicts the busiest Thanksgiving travel period on record, with an estimated 18.3 million passengers passing through security checkpoints from November 26 to December 2. That’s a 6 percent increase from last year and a 17 percent jump from 2022. The Sunday after Thanksgiving is expected to see more than 3 million travelers – a number that makes even seasoned travel experts like me break out in a cold sweat.
But wait, there’s more!
Just to make things interesting, Spirit Airlines filed for bankruptcy protection the week before Thanksgiving, casting uncertainty on many air travelers’ schedules.
And let’s not forget the roads. A record 71.7 million Americans are expected to travel by car, clogging highways and testing your patience. (Related: How to stay out of trouble when you travel in 2025.)
The usual advice is still somewhat useful. If you have to travel, leave early. Time your trip to avoid the busiest times, like Tuesday, Wednesday, and Sunday. Use TSA PreCheck. Download a helpful traffic app like Waze. Be flexible. Take a deep breath. (Here’s our guide to traveling this holiday season.)
Solid strategies, all. But this year, they feel like bringing a water pistol to a wildfire.
There’s a silver lining or two. Flight cancellations were down last Thanksgiving, and early morning flights tend to fare better. But these glimmers of hope are overshadowed by the sheer magnitude of the travel tsunami heading our way this week.
Here’s what you should do this Thanksgiving
So, here’s my unconventional advice: Stay home.
Make dinner, watch the parade on TV, and connect with loved ones virtually. (Related: Iberia suspended ticket credit problem: How do you fix this?)
Staying put for Thanksgiving may be a trend this year. A poll of my newsletter readers found that 62 percent planned to avoid traveling this week, a surprisingly high number.
If you absolutely must travel, consider shifting your plans. Travel on the actual holiday, when crowds thin out. Or better yet, have your family gathering in early December when the rush subsides.
I know this may seem a little extreme, and maybe even ironic, coming from someone who’s built a career on encouraging travel. But sometimes, the best travel advice is knowing when not to travel. This Thanksgiving, the safest and sanest destination might just be your own living room.
So, as your trusted travel expert, I’m leaving my suitcase in the closet this week. After all, there’s no place like home for the holidays – especially when millions of your fellow Americans are stuck in airport lines.
