What You Need To Expect For Thanksgiving Travel In 2024, According To TSA

Thanksgiving is one of the grandest holidays of the year. For Americans, it is arguably the most important time of the year, a time when families come together to spread gratitude and thanks. Just like any holiday, people travel from all over the world to get home to their loved ones and share their appreciation to those who mean the most (and to share all that food, of course).

Couple this with increased flying across the board, and you have a recipe for delays and frustration. According to TSA, 10 of the heaviest travel days in American history have all happened in 2024 — with the trend expected to continue during Thanksgiving. If you're planning on traveling during Thanksgiving, there are a few things you can be ready for to make sure that your trip goes as smoothly as possible. For starters, as Thanksgiving travel is one of the busiest times of the year, expect longer queues, busier airports, and more security measures to help you plan your trip and get to your family without any hiccups (save the hiccups for the celebrations).

According to TSA, More than 18.3 million people are expected to travel between November 26 and December 2. "Busy" doesn't quite do it justice, right? For extra context, this would be an increase of around 6% from 2023. Based on these numbers, delays should be expected. Passengers should factor in these obstacles and plan on getting to the airport three (or even four) hours before flight times. That also means that if you're taking a connecting flight, booking one with a longer transit time might be a good idea to ensure that any delays don't result in a missed connecting flight. TSA has also suggested that the busiest travel days will be the Tuesday and Wednesday prior to Thanksgiving, as well as the following Sunday. If you can avoid those days, that might also be a good idea.

As you might assume, increased footfall means security should be on high alert, and further delays are almost inevitable in the security lines. As it is the holiday season, airports often face the challenge of being short-staffed, resulting in everything taking even longer than usual. However, according to the TSA representative, more staff and preparations are in place to handle the heavy traffic and ensure a faster process. Time will tell if that is the case when the days arrive.

By using TSA PreCheck, passengers will get the chance to expedite security screening. Even if the TSA queues are long, the PreCheck line tends to move a lot faster as passengers are exempt from taking off their shoes and don't need to remove laptops or electronics from carry-on luggage. Just make sure that you follow TSA guidelines on prohibited items and liquids and remember to inform an officer in advance if you're traveling with medication. Other useful tips include checking in online, traveling only with hand luggage to prevent standing in check-in queues, and having your boarding pass on your smartphone in advance. The more prepared you are, the better.

There are also apps like FlightAware that can help you track flights in real-time to get updates on any cancellations or delays. With all that in mind, this is an excellent time to read up on your rights and what compensation you're entitled to if your flight is canceled or delayed. Last but not least, it is best to have flexible itineraries and make use of the airport lounges that offer complimentary food and drink, with some even offering showers or a place to rest. Apps like LoungeBuddy can help you access the lounge for as low as $25. What better way to start the holidays than with a glass of bubbly in the lounge?