Those Thanksgiving turkeys won’t be the only things stuffed over the holiday. Expect freeways and airports to be filled to the brim as well.
A record number of travelers are forecast for the Thanksgiving holiday period, both in Georgia and across the U.S., bringing the specter of crowded airport terminals and highways.
The Transportation Security Administration is preparing for its busiest Thanksgiving travel period on record. That means nearly 1 million travelers are expected to go through security screening at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport over that period. Nationally, traffic through TSA checkpoints is expected to be up about 6% from last year’s Thanksgiving period.
In Atlanta so far this year, traffic at airport checkpoints has been up about 10% from last year, with the 10 busiest days on record all occurring this year. Fortunately, a project to upgrade domestic terminal security lines that vexed Atlanta travelers for a year and a half was completed last December.
Of course, most passengers at the world’s busiest airport are just connecting in Atlanta. Including connecting passengers, the Atlanta airport expects to handle more than 4.2 million passengers during the 12-day period stretching from Friday through Tuesday, Dec. 3.
Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines expects to fly a record of nearly 6.5 million customers over the holiday period, up about 5% year-over-year. The U.S. airline industry overall also expects an all-time high of 31 million Thanksgiving travel period passengers, up from 29 million in the same period last year, according to industry group Airlines for America.
Credit: TNS
Credit: TNS
The busiest days at Hartsfield-Jackson are expected to be Friday, when the airport expects to handle more than 370,000 travelers — including connecting passengers followed by the Saturday and Sunday after Thanksgiving (Nov. 30 and Dec. 1).
“On normal days, security screening at ATL averages 20 to 30 minutes” to get through, Jordan Biegler, Hartsfield-Jackson’s assistant general manager of operations and regulatory compliance, said at a news conference Tuesday at the airport. Over the holidays, wait times can be even longer, he warned.
As a result, airport officials are encouraging travelers to get to the airport at least 2½ hours before domestic flights and at least three hours before international flights.
The busy holiday travel period is also extending longer than it has in years past, officials said. The rise of remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic shifted travel patterns and work policies.
TSA said it will have extra officers on duty to open more screening lanes for heavy passenger volumes, with plans to open as early as 3 a.m. on peak days.
“We encourage passengers to arrive early and pack your patience,” said TSA deputy federal security director Aniisa Karim.
Biegler said roadways and curbsides “can become congested during peak periods” and advised those picking up travelers to use the airport’s cellphone waiting lot.
People who plan to park at the airport or in an off-site lot are encouraged to reserve spaces in advance when possible. Another option is to take MARTA.
Hartsfield-Jackson said it expects minimal disruption from construction during the holidays, though there will be escalator closures in some concourses. Multiple expansion and renovation projects are underway as part of the airport master plan, with Hartsfield-Jackson preparing to handle as many as 125 million people annually by 2029.
Credit: undefined
Credit: undefined
AAA expects an all-time high of more than 2.3 million people in Georgia will travel at least 50 miles for the holiday, up nearly 40,000 people from last year. The auto club also expects national travel volumes to set a record, thanks to higher incomes boosting spending, declining inflation and economic growth.
The vast majority of travelers going 50 or more miles are going by car, with record-setting numbers expected as gas prices remain relatively low, according to AAA spokesman Garrett Townsend.
The worst times to hit the road for Thanksgiving are the Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon before the holiday, while traffic will be lighter on Thanksgiving itself. The busiest stretch in metro Atlanta is expected to be I-20 between Birmingham, Alabama, and Atlanta late on the Sunday afternoon after Thanksgiving, when it’s expected to take more than three hours to make that drive.
The number of people expected to take to the skies is also higher even though domestic airfares are up about 3%, according to AAA.
The AAA data is based on a forecast by S&P Global Market Intelligence in cooperation with AAA, using macroeconomic data as well as travel- and tourism-related data on gas prices, airline travel and hotel stays.
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