A record 31.6 million travelers expected to fly in US for Thanksgiving

Chicago O’Hare Airport passenger terminal. Image: istock.com/KIVILCIM PINAR via AFP Relaxnews

It’s going to be another record-smashing year for air travel this Thanksgiving, with an estimated 31.6 million flyers expected to take to the skies this holiday season.

The Thanksgiving travel period has smashed traffic levels every year over the last few years, according to figures from Airlines for America, the industry trade organization representing United States airlines.

This year, the 12-day Thanksgiving travel period is expected to see a 4% increase over last year, with Sunday, Dec. 1, poised to be the busiest travel day of the year: 3.1 million passengers are expected to jostle their way through airports across the country and board a plane that day.

“The popularity of air travel continues to soar this holiday season, as airlines and airports alike continue to invest billions of dollars into improving the quality of the experience and the efficiency of their operations,” said A4A vice president and chief economist John Heimlich in a press release.

Overall, U.S. carriers are expected to carry an average of 2.63 million passengers per day between Friday, Nov. 22 to Tuesday, Dec. 3.

Flyers who are more flexible with their travel plans may want to fly out Nov. 28, Thanksgiving Day, as it’s projected to be one of the lightest days of the year to fly with just 1.79 million passengers. JB

RELATED STORIES:

Auckland, Paris airports home to some of the best food for flyers

Rise in onboard animal-related incidents prompts airline to tighten regulations