What Are the Busiest Travel Days of the Year? And How to Avoid Winter Travel Chaos.
Traveling in the US can be hectic during holidays and peak weekends. These busy periods create crowded airports and congested roads, making it essential to plan ahead. Knowing when these busy times are is the best way to keep your trip stress-free.
Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel periods with college students, families with children and elderly people all en-route to their family homes.
Christmas and New Year’s Holidays also see a surge in travel as people take advantage of time off to visit family or take vacations, with travel ramping up from mid-December into early January.
Winter holiday travel can bring the year’s worst weather, impacting journeys even more. It’s worthwhile understanding these patterns, to better plan your travel and avoid the crowds.
Thanksgiving Travel Peaks
Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel times in the United States. Both roads and airports see major surges as families head out to visit loved ones. The Wednesday before Thanksgiving, often called Thanksgiving Eve, is especially hectic. In 2024, the TSA screened over 2.8 million passengers that day.
Travel peaks again on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. In 2024, more than 3 million passengers passed through airport checkpoints, making it the busiest air travel day in U.S. history.
Roads also experience heavy traffic during this time, especially on the Tuesday and Wednesday before the holiday. Families embark on long drives, contributing to congestion. For those planning to travel, it’s essential to anticipate these peak days and consider alternative travel dates or times to avoid the crowds.
Top Tips
- Busiest Days: Wednesday before Thanksgiving (known as “Thanksgiving Eve”) and Sunday after Thanksgiving, as travelers return home.
- Reason: Thanksgiving is a family-centered holiday, and many people travel long distances to spend it with loved ones.
Christmas and New Year’s Rush
The Christmas and New Year’s season is one of the busiest travel periods in the United States, peaking from mid December through early January. The heaviest travel days usually fall around December 20, December 27, and December 30, when the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) expects the largest crowds at airport checkpoints. Many travelers are heading to visit family or enjoy winter vacations.
Return trips are just as busy. Expect high traffic and crowded airports from December 21 through January 1, as people make their way home after the festivities. Road travel also surges around December 22, leading to traffic jams and longer travel times.
The timing of the holiday can shift the busiest travel days slightly. If Christmas falls early in the week, for example, many people leave the weekend before. Return traffic peaks in the days immediately following New Year’s. Booking flights in advance and allowing extra time on drives makes these challenges easier to tackle.
Top Tips
- Busiest Days: The days leading up to Christmas (December 22–24) and the days between Christmas and New Year’s, particularly around December 26 and January 2.
- Reason: Many combine holiday celebrations with extended vacations, especially when these holidays fall close to weekends.
Comparing Airports and Road Travel
Travel during peak holiday periods can feel very different depending on whether you’re flying or driving. Airports are busiest in the days just before and after major holidays. For example, the Sunday after Thanksgiving is the busiest travel day of the year, as millions of people fly home after the holiday.
Road travel also spikes during the same period, especially on the Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Monday after. Highways can become congested as families set out on their trips. Unlike air travel, which peaks on specific days, road traffic can stay heavy over a longer stretch. Planning ahead is key, whether you’re flying or driving.
Short drives under 50 miles are most common on Thanksgiving Day itself. Longer trips over 100 miles usually happen any day from Wednesday through Sunday of Thanksgiving week. Those traveling by air or rail often start on Wednesday, while Sunday is the most popular day to return home.
Busy travel days can make trips longer. On the road, you’ll& face more traffic delays. On planes, crowded flights may leave you without the comfort of an empty seat, and overbooked flights can even leave some passengers without a seat at all. Tight schedules also make delays and cancellations more disruptive, with fewer options for quick fixes. Planning ahead can help make your holiday travel smoother and less stressful.
Top Tips
- Airports: Peak times are often before and after these holidays.
- Road Travel: Highways see heavy traffic during holiday weekends and near urban areas. AAA typically issues travel forecasts to highlight these trends.
Strategies for Simpler Holiday Travel
The easiest way to make your winter holiday trip smoother is to plan ahead. Many travelers buy their tickets before Thanksgiving to secure the best prices and preferred flight times. Booking early also gives you the widest choice of hotels and rental cars, helping avoid lastminute stress.
Even if your plans come together at the last minute, there are still ways to make your trip less expensive and hectic. One option is to consider flying into an alternative airport. For instance, if flights to Seattle are full on December 23, you could fly into Portland, Oregon, and drive the rest of the way.
To avoid long delays, try to travel early in the morning. This applies to both driving and flying. On the road, highways are usually less crowded before dawn. At the airport, an early departure gives you extra time to adjust if your flight is delayed or cancelled due to weather, helping you reach your destination with less stress.
Top Tips to Avoid the Crowds
To steer clear of the busiest travel days, try to travel on less popular dates. For example, Thanksgiving Day itself is often much quieter than the days leading up to it. Arranging flights,airport parking and hotels early can also make a difference. Try to choose early morning or late-night flights, which usually have fewer travelers.
If you’re driving, leaving very early in the morning or late at night can help you avoid the worst traffic.
Be open to alternative routes or destinations. Sometimes, taking a scenic byway instead of the main highway can not only help you avoid congestion but also enhance your travel experience.
- Book flights during off-peak hours.
- Consider alternative airports.
- Use flexible travel dates.
- Arrive at the airport early.
- Stay informed about traffic conditions.
- Use public transportation to get to airports.
- Avoid popular travel days like Friday and Sunday.
Whatever your plans are during the winter holidays, stay safe and travel wisely. Make sure you’re well-prepared for the weather, especially when driving long distances.
One great option if you’re planning to travel long-distance is to park at an airport hotel the night before your flight. This will help avoid the chaos of peak-time travel and ensure you’re relaxed and can enjoy your holiday to the max.
And if you want to get away for the duration, check out 15 Vacations for Thanksgiving Weekend. It might just help you choose somewhere to spend your holidays!
FAQs: Busy Travel Times
Why are these travel days so busy?
People travel to see family or take winter vacations. Millions of travelers all head out at the same time, which causes crowded airports and heavy traffic.
Which day is the busiest for air travel?
The Sunday after Thanksgiving is usually the busiest day for flying in the U.S., as many people return home from the holiday weekend.
Are roads or airports busier during the holidays?
Both are busy, but in different ways. Airports get crowded on specific days, while roads can stay jammed for several days around major holidays.
How can I avoid the busiest travel days?
Travel on less popular days like Thanksgiving Day itself, early mornings, or late nights. Booking flights early and using alternative airports can also help.
Do the busiest travel days change each year?
Yes. The exact dates depend on which day holidays fall. For example, if Christmas is early in the week, travel may peak the weekend before.
What is the best way to travel during the busiest days?
Plan ahead. Arrange tickets, hotels, and rental cars early. Leave extra travel time, check traffic and weather, and consider flying early or using smaller airports.
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