Jumpstart Your Journey: Avoid Thanksgiving Rush & Take Off Now!

The Thanksgiving getaway in the United States is underway as millions of Americans take to the roads, skies, and rails to enjoy the holiday in the presence of THEIR loved ones. But many others are holding off on their trips until the last minute, opting to wait until the busiest travel days of the holiday. If you fall into the latter category, you’re not alone. According to recent studies, the busiest travel days of the Thanksgiving holiday season usually occur this upcoming weekend. The busiest days for air travel are to be this Friday and Saturday; followed by Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. While the majority of Thanksgiving travel still occurs by roads, there has been an increasing trend of Thanksgiving travelers taking to the skies. In fact, the TSA reported that almost 2.7 million passengers were screened on Sunday, November 17th, making it the busiest Sunday for pre-Thanksgiving air travel on record. Moreover, Amtrak has seen a marked increase in ridership in the week leading up to Thanksgiving. According to Amtrak’s spokesman Marc Magliari, this season’s ridership numbers from late October to mid-November have been at their highest in five years. When it comes to weather, the National Weather Service has warned that strong, gusty winds are possible along the East Coast from Wednesday through Sunday. While these winds might cause a few delays, travelers in the Northeast should be able to experience relatively mild temperatures and clear skies for the rest of the week. That being said, those planning on taking the roads still need to be mindful of hazardous weather conditions and heavy traffic. Traffic jams tend to be particularly bad on the Wednesday and Sunday of Thanksgiving week. To avoid potential frustration, those looking to hit the slopes should opt to leave on Saturday and Tuesday instead. For those Americans still trying to plan their Thanksgiving getaway, our advice is to prioritize efficiency and safety. Take the time to familiarize yourself with the busiest travel days and to check the weather on the days leading up to the holiday. And most importantly, plan for plenty of rest stops along your journey.