Thanksgiving week typically sees a surge in airport crowds, making it a challenging time to travel. In 2024, the number of passengers screened at U.S. airports has already hit record highs multiple times. The Sunday after Thanksgiving is known to be the busiest airport day of the year, so it’s likely that Thanksgiving week in 2024 will set new records.
However, certain days during Thanksgiving week are much busier at airports than others. If you have the flexibility to adjust your travel dates, you can save money and avoid the chaos.
The optimal and least optimal days to fly around Thanksgiving
BW examined checkpoint travel data from 2021 to 2023 provided by the Transportation Security Administration, which monitors the daily number of passengers screened at U.S. airport checkpoints.
According to the data for the period from the Thursday before Thanksgiving to the Thursday after, the Sunday after Thanksgiving stands out as the most congested day for air travel. Conversely, Thanksgiving Day is identified as the least crowded travel day at airports during that timeframe.
Here are the three least crowded days to travel both before and after Thanksgiving, ranked from least to most congested. Due to lower traffic and potentially lower costs, these days are considered some of the best for flying around Thanksgiving.
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Saturday before (least crowded).
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Wednesday after (least crowded).
The downsides of flying the Sunday after Thanksgiving
The Sunday after Thanksgiving is widely regarded as the most challenging day of the year to fly. In the years 2021, 2022, and 2023, it consistently ranked as the busiest single day at U.S. airports based on TSA passenger data.
Last year, over 2.9 million travelers passed through U.S. airport security checkpoints on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. In contrast, on Thanksgiving Day, only 1.5 million individuals were at airports (slightly over half of Sunday’s numbers).
The more strategic and cost-effective Thanksgiving weekend travel plan
If you adhere to a standard Monday to Friday work schedule with two days off for the holiday, departing on Wednesday after work and returning on Sunday may seem like the logical choice. Many individuals opt for this schedule to avoid taking extra time off. However, this itinerary could end up costing you more money as the busiest travel days tend to be the most expensive.
So, how can you devise a more budget-friendly Thanksgiving travel plan? Instead of the Wednesday to Sunday itinerary, consider these alternative travel days.
Travel on Thanksgiving Day
Throughout the week before and after Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving Day consistently emerged as the least busy day in our analysis. Consider booking the earliest flight of the day—a practice recommended by BW to reduce the risk of flight delays—and you might even make it in time for Thanksgiving dinner.
Extend your stay
Prolong your trip by considering staying beyond Thanksgiving. On average, the Wednesday after Thanksgiving is the least congested travel day post-holiday among the days we assessed. If you have the ability to work remotely, you may be able to avoid taking vacation days despite the extended trip.
Fly on Black Friday
If your travel plans necessitate a weekend trip, consider celebrating Thanksgiving at home and then flying on Black Friday, which typically ranks as the third least crowded day to fly on average. This approach not only helps you avoid airport crowds but also allows you to steer clear of retail crowds since you won’t be out shopping.