Winter Storm Disrupts Flights as 80 Million Americans Expected to Travel for Thanksgiving

Delayed travelers wait in lines at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport after software issues delayed flights globally, in Minneapolis on July 19, 2024. AP Photo/Adam Bettcher

Thousands of flights have been disrupted across the United States on Thanksgiving week because of winter weather, with cold temperatures expected to persist throughout the week.

Winter storm advisories and warnings were in effect in several parts of the country on Nov. 25. More than 4,200 flights in the United States were delayed on that day, data from FlightAware show. In addition, 68 flights were canceled. The most affected facility was the San Francisco International Airport, which saw a total of 500 delays and 26 cancellations. A high number of flight delays and cancellations were also seen at the Los Angeles International Airport, Denver International Airport, and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

As of 10:25 a.m. ET on Nov. 26, there were 935 flight delays and 54 cancellations affecting the United States.

The flight disruptions come amid the Thanksgiving rush. The American Automobile Association (AAA) is predicting that a “record” 5.84 million people will fly domestically during this holiday season, up by almost 11 percent from 2019, according to a Nov. 18 statement.

In total, the organization expects the Thanksgiving period to see 80 million travelers, including those on the road, on flights, and traveling by other means. The number exceeds pre-COVID-19 pandemic figures and is a new record, according to AAA.

“With a record number of travelers expected to be on the road, drivers should follow traffic apps and local news alerts to avoid major delays,” Bob Pishue, an analyst at transportation data provider INRIX, said.

“This is especially important for drivers in metropolitan areas like Boston, New York, LA, Seattle, and Washington, D.C., where traffic is expected to be more than double what it typically is on a normal day.”

The National Weather Service predicts a Thanksgiving weekend Arctic blast, with bitter cold affecting much of the United States.

“The first significant Arctic outbreak of the season will arrive in the northern Rockies and northern Plains on Thanksgiving and Friday. The cold will advance farther south and east through much of the Plains and Midwest this weekend,” it said in a Nov. 26 post on social media platform X.

“Dangerously cold wind chills expected. Heavy lake-effect snow Friday through Sunday.”

The agency warns that there will be “potential for hazardous travel impacts” from Nov. 29 through Dec. 1.

Amid winter disruptions, the Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina is facing a worker strike triggered by wage disagreements, which could also pose challenges to travelers in the region.

Traveling During Thanksgiving

According to INRIX, the worst time to travel this week will be Nov. 26 and the afternoon of Nov. 27, according to the AAA statement.

“The best time to hit the road is Thanksgiving Day itself when interstates and highways are typically clear. Drivers returning home on Sunday should leave early in the morning, and those coming back on Monday should expect a mix of travelers and work commuters on the road,” AAA said in the statement.

Out of the nearly 80 million travelers expected for Thanksgiving, the majority—more than 71 million—are predicted to travel by car.

David Pekoske, administrator of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), said in a Nov. 22 post on X that this Thanksgiving week will be the busiest one on record. He pointed out that 2024 is already the busiest year in TSA history.

Mike Whitaker, administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, said during a Nov. 21 news conference that air traffic may be slowed down this week because of a shortage of air traffic controllers.

“During the Thanksgiving travel period, we will use traffic flow management initiatives to deal with any staffing shortages on that particular day in this airspace, and we expect to have some of those shortages,” he said. “So, we’re working diligently to make sure that that can operate as efficiently as possible.”

Meanwhile, a recent survey by GasBuddy revealed that 72 percent of Americans plan to travel for Thanksgiving via car, up from 41 percent last year. The increase comes as gas prices are now at “multi-year lows,” it noted.

“Gas prices have fallen nearly 70 cents from the summer high to their lowest level since 2021, and should provide some relief for Thanksgiving travelers. We expect prices to remain seasonally low leading up to the holidays, making road trips a more affordable option for millions of Americans,” Patrick De Haan, GasBuddy’s head of petroleum analysis, said.