(NewsNation) — More than 55 million people are expected to travel this holiday season, and AAA is saying just under 5 million people will fly to their destination this Thanksgiving — the highest number of Thanksgiving air travelers since 2005.
The Transportation Security Administration said about 2.7 million passengers nationwide are expected at airports Wednesday alone.
From Nov. 17 through Nov. 28, the TSA expects to screen an unprecedented 30 million passengers. Another estimated 2.9 million passengers are anticipated to fly the Sunday after Thanksgiving as well.
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In total, AAA expects 4.7 million to fly to their Thanksgiving destinations this year, which is 6.6% more compared to 2022 and the highest number of air travelers during this time period since 2005.
“We expect this holiday season to be our busiest ever,” TSA Administrator David Pekoske said, adding that 2023 has already seen seven of the top 10 busiest travel days in the agency’s history.
But it’s important for travelers to keep this in the back of their minds: In the event of delays or cancellations, the Department of Transportation is pushing its airline protection policy. This means that if a passenger has issues getting a refund, the DOT said to file a complaint right away.
Bad weather could affect Thanksgiving travel, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg warned, adding that the FAA is working closely with airlines to plan for and around it. While National Weather Service meteorologists are handling high-altitude traffic and giving weather predictions, Buttigieg urged travelers to check with their airlines directly for the most up-to-date information about their flights.
Thousands of flights were canceled due to storms last holiday season, stranding some passengers.
At 8 a.m. ET, there were only 40 U.S. flights canceled and just over 400 flights delayed, according to flight tracking system FlightAware.
Travel experts recommended the “3, 2, 1 rule”: Be at the airport at least three hours before the flight, get in the security line at least two hours prior to the flight and be at the flight’s gate at least 1 hour before takeoff.
Those getting behind the wheel this year can also expect a lot of fellow travelers: AAA is projecting 49.1 million Americans will drive for Thanksgiving — an increase of the 1.7% of those who did last year.
This is expected to be the third-highest Thanksgiving forecast since 2000, when AAA began tracking holiday travel.
Travel experts suggested hitting the roads before the morning rush or after 8 p.m. to avoid traffic jams. Once Thanksgiving is over, they recommend not trying to drive home Sunday between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.
“For many Americans, Thanksgiving and travel go hand in hand, and this holiday, we expect more people on the roads, skies and seas compared to 2022,” Paula Twidale, senior vice president of AAA Travel, said in a statement. “Travel demand has been strong all year, and AAA’s Thanksgiving forecast reflects that continued desire to get away and spend time with loved ones.”
Some good news for drivers is that AAA is expecting them to pay less for gas, as the national average price peaked at $3.87 in mid-August and has since been coming down despite global tensions.