Thanksgiving is almost upon us and, with it, the traditional travel rush for millions of Americans across the nation. Despite this, many travelers have yet to embark on their Thanksgiving weekend trips, leaving them scrambling to book flights and book hotels to celebrate the holiday season with family and friends.
For those that have yet to start their Thanksgiving trips, they’re not alone. Experts predict that the two busiest days for domestic travel this year are predicted to be the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Sunday after, respectively. In spite of this, numerous passengers have yet to begin their travel of plans, signifying the increasingly stressful journey that lies ahead for holiday vacationers.
The cause of this late start is in part due to travelers waiting until the week of Thanksgiving to have reservations be even cheaper. Purchases during this time, rather than months prior, are down 12.6 percent year-over-year according to Flight Centre and CheapOair. Furthermore, airports are preparing for large numbers of travelers this Thanksgiving, with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) suggesting that passengers arrive to airports two hours early for domestic flight departures to avoid any unforeseen delays.
With travelers poring over last-minute hotel bookings and standby flights, the Thanksgiving travel rush has quickly become a proverbial game of chess, full of risks and unknowns that many holiday travelers will try to navigate in order to make their Thanksgiving trips a successful one. So, for those traveling this Thanksgiving, it’s important to keep your chins up and to focus on enjoying your time with your loved ones, despite any stressful and unpredictable moments that will undoubtedly arise on the journey there.