Record-breaking air travel expected this Thanksgiving holiday

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Record-breaking air travel expected this Thanksgiving holiday

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Simple Flying | Simple Flying

By Sky Industry News

Nov 19, 2024

Thanksgiving weekend in the United States is set to see a record number of travelers flying, with Airlines for America (A4A) predicting that over 31 million people will take to the skies. This figure surpasses previous records, including 29 million passengers in 2023 and 28 million in 2019.

Rebecca Spicer, A4A’s Senior Vice President of Communications, stated, “We expect this Thanksgiving season to be the busiest on record, and U.S. airlines have been preparing for months to get travelers and cargo safely and efficiently to their destinations. We are especially grateful for the more than 1 million airline employees who work to transport millions of passengers and thousands of tons of cargo around the globe safely every day.”

The peak travel days are anticipated to be Wednesday, November 27, and Sunday, December 1, with each day potentially seeing upwards of three million flyers.

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Airlines have responded by adding approximately 150,000 seats daily compared to last year. American Airlines plans to fly over eight million passengers between November 21 and December 3. Delta Air Lines expects about a 5% increase from last year with around 6.5 million passengers. United Airlines projects carrying about 6.2 million travelers and notes a significant rise in demand during the post-Thanksgiving weekend.

In light of increased travel activity during Thanksgiving—often accompanied by food items—the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has issued guidelines for transporting such goods. Solid foods like pies or cooked meats can be carried onboard while liquids like sauces should go into checked luggage.