Record crowds are expected to take to the air and roads for Thanksgiving
Buttigieg
Matt Rourke, AP
DALLAS — Despite inflation and memories of past holiday travel meltdowns, millions of people are expected to hit airports and highways in record numbers over the Thanksgiving break.
The Transportation Security Administration expected to screen 2.6 million passengers on Tuesday and 2.7 million passengers on Wednesday. Sunday will draw the largest crowds with an estimated 2.9 million passengers, which would narrowly eclipse a record set on June 30.
Meanwhile, AAA forecasts that 55.4 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home between next Wednesday and the Sunday after Thanksgiving, with roads likely to be the most clogged on Wednesday.
The weather could snarl air and road traffic. A storm system was expected to move from the southern Plains to the Northeast on Tuesday and Wednesday, bringing possible thunderstorms, sleet and snow. Parts of Maine, Vermont and northern New Hampshire were expected to get 3 to 7 inches of snow between Tuesday night and Wednesday.
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U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said during a Monday news conference that the government tried to better prepare for holiday travel over the last year by hiring more air traffic controllers, opening new air routes along the East Coast and providing grants to airports for snowplows and deicing equipment. But he warned travelers to check road conditions and flight times before leaving home.
Travellers line up to check in Monday at the Southwest Airlines counter at Denver International Airport in Denver.
David Zalubowski, Associated Press
“Mother Nature, of course, is the X factor in all of this,” he said.
The good news for travelers by plane and car alike: Prices are coming down.
Airfares average $268 per ticket, down 14% from a year ago, according to the travel site Hopper.
Gas prices are down about 45 cents a gallon from this time last year. The national average was $3.30 per gallon Monday, according to AAA, down from $3.67 a year ago.
A survey of GasBuddy users found that despite cheaper pump prices, the number of people planning to take a long driving trip this Thanksgiving hasn’t changed much from last year. Patrick De Haan, an analyst for the price-tracking service, said inflation has cooled but some things like food are still getting more expensive. Consumers are also charging more on credit cards and saving less.
“Sure, they love the falling gas prices, but a lot of Americans spent in other ways this summer and they may not be ready to open their wallets for Thanksgiving travel just yet,” De Haan said.
A traveler dodges shuttle buses Monday on the way into Denver International Airport in Denver.
David Zalubowski, Associated Press
Thanksgiving marks the start of the holiday travel season, and many still haven’t shaken last December’s nightmare before Christmas, when severe winter storms knocked out thousands of flights and left millions of passengers stranded.
Scott Keyes, founder of the travel site Going, is cautiously optimistic that holiday air travel won’t be the same mess. So far this year, he said, airlines have avoided massive disruptions.
“Everyone understands that airlines can’t control Mother Nature and it’s unsafe to take off or land in the middle of a thunderstorm or snowstorm,” Keyes said. “What really irks people are the controllable cancellations — those widespread disruptions because the airline couldn’t get their act together because their system melted down the way Southwest did over Christmas.”
Indeed, Southwest didn’t recover as quickly as other carriers from last year’s storm when its planes, pilots and flight attendants were trapped out of position and its crew-rescheduling system got bogged down. The airline canceled almost 17,000 flights before fixing the operation. Federal regulators told Southwest recently that it could be fined for failing to help stranded travelers.
Travellers line up Monday to pass through a security checkpoint at Denver International Airport in Denver.
David Zalubowski, Associated Press
U.S. airlines as a whole have been better about stranding passengers. Through October, they canceled 38% fewer flights than during the same period in 2022. From June through August the rate of cancellations fell 18% compared to 2022.
Even still, consumer complaints about airline service have soared, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. There have been so many complaints, the agency says, that it has only compiled figures through May.
The airlines heaped blame on the Federal Aviation Administration, which they say can’t keep up with the growing air traffic. In fact, the Transportation Department’s inspector general reported this summer that the FAA made only “limited efforts” to fix a shortage of air traffic controllers, especially at key facilities in New York, Miami and Jacksonville, Florida.
Travelers line up Monday to check in at self-service ticketing kiosks for Southwest Airlines in Denver International Airport in Denver.
David Zalubowski, Associated Press
Meanwhile, staffing levels in other parts of the airline industry largely recovered since the pandemic. After shedding tens of thousands of workers early on, airlines have been on a hiring spree since late 2020. Passenger airlines added more than 140,000 workers — an increase of almost 40% — according to government figures updated last week.
Airlines are using their expanded work forces to operate more flights. Southwest is the most aggressive among the big carriers, planning to offer 13% more seats over Thanksgiving than it did during the comparable five-day stretch last year, according to travel data provider Cirium. United and Delta are growing 8% each. American will grow a more modest 5% but still have the largest number of seats.
Airports With the Worst Security Lines Over the Holidays Airports With the Worst Security Lines Over the Holidays
Photo Credit: Pressmaster / Shutterstock
In a testament to the resilience of the U.S. airline industry, air travel has not only rebounded from the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic but has now surpassed pre-pandemic 2019 levels. As eager travelers prepare to visit family and friends this holiday season, airports are gearing up for a surge in activity not witnessed in years.
Commercial airlines are often busiest around the Thanksgiving and winter holidays, and with increasing demand for air travel, longer security wait times could present a major challenge for passengers. Knowing what to expect at TSA checkpoints will help travelers coordinate transportation, minimize disruptions, and even avoid missing flights.
Pressmaster Standard TSA Wait Times by Airport
During the 2022 holiday season (Thanksgiving week through the following Monday and the week before Christmas through the observed New Year’s Day), the average passenger waited just under 6 minutes in airport security lines; however, this number varied widely by airport. Perhaps unsurprisingly, some of the primary U.S. air travel hubs rank among the worst airports for wait times during the holidays. Notably:
Three Florida airports ranked among the top 6 worst for wait times: Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) at 12.0 minutes, Orlando International Airport (MCO) at 9.2 minutes, and Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport (FLL) at 9.1 minutes.Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) had average wait times of 11.7 minutes (2nd worst) and 9.6 minutes (3rd worst) through standard TSA security, respectively.Denver International Airport (DEN) — a popular airport for connecting flights and a destination for visitors to the Rocky Mountains — had travelers waiting an average of 9.1 minutes through standard TSA lines.
On the other hand, San Antonio International Airport (SAT) reported the shortest holiday wait times at an average of just 1.4 minutes. And remarkably, some airports actually saw their wait times significantly decrease during the holiday season compared to the 2022 annual average. TSA wait times at Bradley International Airport (BDL) in Hartford, Connecticut dropped by 32.8% down to 2.8 minutes, while wait times at Kahului Airport (OGG) in Maui, Hawaii declined 29.8% over the holiday period.
The Impact of TSA PreCheck on Holiday Wait Times
The Sunday after Thanksgiving and Wednesday before Christmas had the longest waits through TSA. Image Credit: Upgraded Points
For travelers who are constrained in their choice of airport, acquiring TSA PreCheck is the most effective method to minimize wait times. During the 2022 holiday travel season, the average TSA PreCheck passenger experienced roughly one-third of the wait time compared to the typical standard passenger. Even the days with the worst TSA holiday wait times—the Sunday after Thanksgiving and the Wednesday before Christmas—wait times through TSA PreCheck lines are significantly shorter. The same can be said at the nation’s busiest airports: passengers with TSA PreCheck can expect to wait around 3 minutes or less.
The following is a full list of the worst security lines among major U.S. airports during the holidays. Researchers at Upgraded Points analyzed wait time data from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. Average wait times were calculated using data surrounding Thanksgiving (Thanksgiving week through the following Monday) and winter holidays (the week before Christmas through the observed New Year’s Day).
15. Eppley Airfield Average holiday wait time through standard TSA: 7.0 minutesAverage holiday wait time through standard TSA (compared to usual): +5.7%Average holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA: 2.9 minutesAverage holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA (compared to usual): +22.0%Worst day of the week for holiday TSA wait times: Wednesday Jason Schronce 14. Austin–Bergstrom International Airport Average holiday wait time through standard TSA: 7.2 minutesAverage holiday wait time through standard TSA (compared to usual): +8.5%Average holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA: 1.8 minutesAverage holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA (compared to usual): +34.4%Worst day of the week for holiday TSA wait times: Friday Wichudapa 13. Salt Lake City International Airport Average holiday wait time through standard TSA: 7.4 minutesAverage holiday wait time through standard TSA (compared to usual): +14.8%Average holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA: 2.9 minutesAverage holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA (compared to usual): +0.7%Worst day of the week for holiday TSA wait times: Tuesday Brandon Jenner 12. Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport Average holiday wait time through standard TSA: 7.4 minutesAverage holiday wait time through standard TSA (compared to usual): +15.4%Average holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA: 2.6 minutesAverage holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA (compared to usual): +4.4%Worst day of the week for holiday TSA wait times: Wednesday Sean Pavone 11. Dallas Love Field Average holiday wait time through standard TSA: 7.6 minutesAverage holiday wait time through standard TSA (compared to usual): -7.8%Average holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA: 2.1 minutesAverage holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA (compared to usual): +6.1%Worst day of the week for holiday TSA wait times: Sunday Valentin Valkov 10. Charleston International Airport Average holiday wait time through standard TSA: 7.6 minutesAverage holiday wait time through standard TSA (compared to usual): +21.9%Average holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA: 3.2 minutesAverage holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA (compared to usual): +14.9%Worst day of the week for holiday TSA wait times: Wednesday Jaromir Chalabala 9. Indianapolis International Airport Average holiday wait time through standard TSA: 7.9 minutesAverage holiday wait time through standard TSA (compared to usual): +19.5%Average holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA: 2.6 minutesAverage holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA (compared to usual): +7.6%Worst day of the week for holiday TSA wait times: Wednesday Shutterstock 8. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Average holiday wait time through standard TSA: 8.7 minutesAverage holiday wait time through standard TSA (compared to usual): +9.7%Average holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA: 1.9 minutesAverage holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA (compared to usual): +5.4%Worst day of the week for holiday TSA wait times: Tuesday LHBLLC 7. San Diego International Airport Average holiday wait time through standard TSA: 8.8 minutesAverage holiday wait time through standard TSA (compared to usual): +7.9%Average holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA: 2.1 minutesAverage holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA (compared to usual): +3.4%Worst day of the week for holiday TSA wait times: Tuesday FromAbove 6. Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport Average holiday wait time through standard TSA: 9.1 minutesAverage holiday wait time through standard TSA (compared to usual): +11.2%Average holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA: 3.0 minutesAverage holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA (compared to usual): +26.0%Worst day of the week for holiday TSA wait times: Friday Felix Mizioznikov 5. Denver International Airport Average holiday wait time through standard TSA: 9.1 minutesAverage holiday wait time through standard TSA (compared to usual): +21.5%Average holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA: 2.4 minutesAverage holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA (compared to usual): +22.1%Worst day of the week for holiday TSA wait times: Wednesday Arina P Habich 4. Orlando International Airport Average holiday wait time through standard TSA: 9.2 minutesAverage holiday wait time through standard TSA (compared to usual): +10.7%Average holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA: 2.5 minutesAverage holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA (compared to usual): -1.4%Worst day of the week for holiday TSA wait times: Wednesday Shutterstock 3. John F. Kennedy International Airport Average holiday wait time through standard TSA: 9.6 minutesAverage holiday wait time through standard TSA (compared to usual): +16.0%Average holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA: 1.8 minutesAverage holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA (compared to usual): +26.6%Worst day of the week for holiday TSA wait times: Tuesday Xavier MARCHANT 2. Newark Liberty International Airport Average holiday wait time through standard TSA: 11.7 minutesAverage holiday wait time through standard TSA (compared to usual): +25.1%Average holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA: 2.5 minutesAverage holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA (compared to usual): +20.1%Worst day of the week for holiday TSA wait times: Monday Paparacy 1. Jacksonville International Airport Average holiday wait time through standard TSA: 12.0 minutesAverage holiday wait time through standard TSA (compared to usual): +28.6%Average holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA: 3.8 minutesAverage holiday wait time through PreCheck TSA (compared to usual): +40.6%Worst day of the week for holiday TSA wait times: Tuesday Jaromir Chalabala Methodology
Photo Credit: Jaromir Chalabala / Shutterstock
The data in this analysis was obtained from a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). To determine the airports with the worst security lines over the holidays, researchers at Upgraded Points calculated the average wait time at standard TSA checkpoints for all major U.S. airports during the 2022 holiday season. The Thanksgiving holiday was defined as November 17, 2022 through November 28, 2022, and the Winter holiday was considered to be December 17, 2022 through January 3, 2023. Researchers also calculated the average wait time at TSA PreCheck security checkpoints and the percentage change for both standard and PreCheck wait times compared to usual, where the usual wait time was calculated during January 4, 2022 through January 3, 2023 for consistency.
For complete results, see Airports With the Worst Security Lines Over the Holidays on Upgraded Points.
Jaromir Chalabala
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