© Courtesy of Shutterstock According to AAA, 54.3 million Americans will be traveling 50 miles or more this Thanksgiving. From: AFA...
 |
© Courtesy of Shutterstock
According to AAA, 54.3 million Americans will be traveling 50 miles or more this Thanksgiving. |
From:
AFAR
As travelers pack up their bags and get ready for
Thanksgiving week, one thing is certain: They will not be alone. The
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) estimates that more than 25
million travelers will be screened at airport checkpoints between
Friday, November 16, and Monday, November 26, a nearly 7 percent
increase compared to last year.
And according to
AAA, the 2018 Thanksgiving weekend will see the holiday period’s highest
travel volume since 2005, with 54.3 million Americans expected to
travel 50 miles or more.
Know When to Go
While the day before
Thanksgiving has traditionally been one of the busiest travel days of
the year, TSA reported that it has started to see more people kick off
their travels the Friday before Thanksgiving, with most passengers
choosing to return home on either the Sunday or Monday after
Thanksgiving. The busiest travel days will still be the Tuesday and
Wednesday just prior to Thanksgiving and the Sunday after
Thanksgiving—that Sunday is actually projected to break into TSA’s top
10 busiest days ever.
As for driving, AAA reports
that the Wednesday before Thanksgiving will be the worst day for drivers
in San Francisco, Chicago, and Los Angeles; the Tuesday before will be
the worst day for heading out of New York, Washington, D.C., Detroit,
Atlanta, Seattle, and Boston; and Monday will be the worst
pre-Thanksgiving traffic day for those in Houston.
Not Too Late to Book
Although
most travelers have already booked their flights for Thanksgiving,
procrastinators may still find decent airfares. AAA reported that the
average ticket price for Thanksgiving flights booked between now and
November 15 is $459, compared to the average ticket price of $478 for
flights that have already been booked for Thanksgiving travel. Of
course, last-minute availability will be limited, so those looking to
score a decent deal may even want to consider flying on Thanksgiving
proper, when prices and crowds are lowest.
Avoid (or Embrace) the Crowds
Warm
weather destinations and theme parks are clearly where the masses will
be heading this Thanksgiving, according to AAA’s list of top 10
Thanksgiving destinations. Whether you want to join them or avoid them,
here’s the full list.
- Orlando, Florida
- New York City
- Anaheim, California
- Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
- Las Vegas, Nevada
- Cancun, Mexico
- Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas
- Honolulu, Hawaii
- Washington, D.C.
- Miami, Florida
TSA Screening 101
Yes,
we all know this, but consider this your official holiday travel season
reminder (repeat after us): For carry-on luggage, liquids, gels,
aerosols, creams, and pastes must be 3.4 ounces or less, and all bottles
must fit into a single quart-size plastic bag to be placed in a bin for
screening. Larger liquids, gels, creams, and aerosols should be placed
into checked bags. Let a TSA officer know if you’re traveling with
larger quantities of liquid medications, breast milk, or formula, as
those need to be screened separately.
When in Doubt, Remove Powders
If
you are carrying powdered substances, it is recommended (but not
mandatory) to remove them from your carry-on bag and place them in a
bin. That’s because many powdered substances will trigger the screening
system and result in an additional bag check. Removing the powdered
items is likely to get you through more quickly.
Less Is Best
Sure,
temperatures are starting to drop around the country and you may also
want to look your holiday finest, but TSA recommends minimizing the
items that you wear to the airport such as bulky jewelry, scarves, hair
accessories, large belts, and other chunky items and accessories that
could require additional screening.
Check the Bins
Another
seemingly obvious one, but when the airport is crowded and travelers
are in a rush, it’s particularly important to just quickly double-check
the bins after collecting your belongings in the screening area and
before running off to the gate. It’s not uncommon for travelers to leave
behind a number of things, including laptops, wallets, IDs, and phones,
TSA reported.
Get TSA PreCheck
If you don’t already have
TSA PreCheck,
it’s a bit late to get it in time for the Thanksgiving holiday since
the process can take several weeks. But the crowds can serve as a good
reminder of the benefits of enrolling—and perhaps you will still get it
in time for the busy end-of-year holiday season. Once enrolled, you’ll
have access to expedited screening lanes at more than 180 U.S. airports.
Added bonus: You won’t need to remove your shoes, laptops, liquids,
belts, or jackets when going through security.
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