Thanksgiving Travel Rush: Navigating Busiest Travel Days by Road and Air

Thanksgiving Travel Forecast

• 🚗 Today is expected to be the busiest travel day of the week for Thanksgiving destinations.
• ⏰ For drivers, the earlier you leave in the day, the smoother your road trip will likely be.
• ⚠️ Avoid travel between noon to 9:00 p.m. today and 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. tomorrow, according to AAA.
• 🏙️ In the tri-state area, congestion is likely to peak Wednesday afternoon, with holiday travelers colliding with usual commuter gridlock.
• 🌉 In 2024, the busiest hours on MTA bridges and tunnels were between 3 to 4 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday.
• 🚗 A total of 73 million people are expected to drive to their Thanksgiving destinations, representing 9 out of 10 holiday travelers.

Air Travel Expectations

• ✈️ Newark Liberty International Airport is currently experiencing fewer than 10 delays and two cancellations, but this could change.
• ⏱️ Travelers are advised to get to the terminal as soon as possible.
• 🧑‍✈️ The TSA expects to screen nearly 18 million people from today until next Tuesday.
• 📈 The FAA anticipates this will be the busiest Thanksgiving for flights in at least 15 years.
• 📱 Travelers are warned to plan ahead, stay updated with their airline app, and expect potential delays.
• 🌧️ Potential heavy rain in the area could create disruptions for air travel later today.

Traveler Tips and Peak Times

• 🚦 Today is a gridlock alert day in the city; mass transit is recommended if possible.
• ⏰ Airlines expect another surge of passengers on Wednesday, with their real peak days being Saturday, Sunday, and Monday after Thanksgiving.
• 🥇 Sunday is anticipated to be the busiest day of the entire Thanksgiving holiday.
• ⏳ Travelers are advised to give themselves extra time before getting to the airport.
• ✈️ Some travelers are arriving at least 2 hours early for their flights, a common rule of thumb for holiday travel.