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Thanksgiving Travelers, Hurry Up and Wait. Expect Crowds and Bad Weather.

Nov 25, 2025 16:02:00 -0500 by Janet H. Cho | #Travel

AAA says 2.5 million people are expected to travel by bus, train, or cruise, up 8.5% over 2024. (Spencer Platt / Getty Images)

Key Points

Thanksgiving travelers should leave early, but brace for delays.

That’s the message from both the airline industry and travel experts, heading into what is expected to be the busiest-ever Thanksgiving travel period, both in the air and on the roads.

Adding to the usual travel chaos is the prospect of snowy weather affecting much of the northern U.S. “The four-day Thanksgiving weekend will be the snowiest in 39 years for the U.S. overall with a very strong storm moving into the Central U.S. late in the holiday weekend,” said Bill Kirk, CEO of Weathertrends360, a weather forecasting company based in Bethlehem, Pa.

He told Barron’s that 46% of the U.S. population will see snow, including heavy snow in the Rockies and into the Midwest. “Strong to severe thunderstorms out ahead of this storm from Texas to Indiana will create major travel headaches for anyone flying out on Sunday.”

As of 4 p.m. Eastern time on Wednesday, 101 flights into and out of U.S. airports were canceled, and about 3,600 flights were delayed, including more than 1,000 flights to and from Chicago O’Hare International Airport, according to FlightAware.com.

United Airlines, American Airlines, and Southwest Airlines have each delayed more than 300 flights on Wednesday, while Delta Air Lines has delayed more than 200 flights. Delays due to snow or ice were affecting 40% of outbound flights and 38% of inbound flights at Chicago O’Hare International Airport, and Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport and Akron-Canton Airport in Ohio are deicing planes.

Passengers whose flights are canceled this weekend should contact their airline about changing their travel plans or getting refunds. Southwest Airlines said passengers are entitled to request a refund anytime a flight is canceled for any reason, “otherwise, they can choose a travel credit or to be rebooked on another flight.”

United Airlines says passengers may be eligible for refunds if flights are delayed, canceled, or disrupted. Passengers whose flights are disrupted and decide not to travel can request full refunds, return to their starting point if they’re stuck in a connecting city with no available flights, or get their change fees waived if a flight disruption changes their travel.

Delta Air Lines said cancelations are a last resort and that if a new itinerary no longer fits a passenger’s travel needs, it will provide full and timely refunds to those eligible. It said customers have options to request a refund on Delta.com.

AAA projects that a record 81.8 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home over the Thanksgiving holiday starting Tuesday and going through Monday. That’s 1.6 million more than last year. Thanksgiving is the single busiest travel holiday, AAA says.

The breakdown includes 73.3 million people who will travel by car, up 1.3 million from last year, but that number could increase if some air travelers decide to fly instead of drive because of canceled flights.

But they’re going to have some challenges to contend with. A cold front on Wednesday will bring rain showers to cities and airport hubs along the Interstate 95 corridor, including thunderstorms in Atlanta and Charlotte, and snow showers and gusty winds in Chicago and Detroit, according to forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Lake effect snow downwind of Lakes Superior, Erie, and Ontario could reduce visibility on roadways on Thanksgiving, with more than a foot of snow expected in some areas by Friday. A separate system will bring heavy rain and snow to the Pacific Northwest through the northern Rockies. Sunday’s high temperatures will be in the teens and twenties in the northern Plains from Montana to western Kansas, with wind chills that will make it feel even colder, NOAA said.

AAA recommends drivers fill their gas tanks the night before their trip, and check their car battery and tire pressure. Last Thanksgiving, AAA responded to nearly 600,000 emergency roadside assistance calls for issues such as empty fuel tanks, dead batteries, and flat tires.

Another 2.5 million people are expected to travel by bus, train, or cruise, up 8.5% over 2024. AAA says buses and trains could also see more last-minute bookings this year.

Buses and trains, such as the Amtrak lines into and out of New York’s Moynihan Train Hall, could see more last-minute bookings this year.

Buses and trains, such as the Amtrak lines into and out of New York’s Moynihan Train Hall, could see more last-minute bookings this year. Photo: Spencer Platt / Getty Images

Airlines for America, an aviation industry group, expects more than 31 million passengers to travel over the Thanksgiving holiday, which it defines as between Nov. 21 and Dec. 1, a new record. U.S. airlines have added 45,000 more seats compared with 2024, and will be flying about 2.8 million passengers a day, including 3.4 million projected to fly on Sunday.

“We’re all looking forward to going home for the holidays,” A4A President and CEO Chris Sununu said. “With airports expected to be busy, we ask all passengers to allow for extra travel time, pack their patience, and carry-on kindness this holiday season.”

The Federal Aviation Administration said this Thanksgiving will be the busiest for air travel in 15 years.

United Airlines said bookings for Thanksgiving travel spiked 15% the weekend after the government shutdown ended on Nov. 12. United is expecting about 6.6 million passengers between Nov. 20 and Dec. 2, about 300,000 more people than last year, and “the most passengers we’ve ever flown during a Thanksgiving holiday.”

United says the busiest travel days will be Sunday, when 600,000 people will fly, followed by Saturday (about 560,000 people), and Monday (another 560,000 people).

A4A recommends that passengers download their airline’s mobile app before heading to the airport to get the latest travel updates, as well as to access in-flight entertainment and mobile check-in. United said travelers using its app can save up to 30 minutes at the airport.

United said its most popular domestic destinations for Thanksgiving are Orlando, Las Vegas, and Boston. International bookings are up 10% from last year, and its top international destinations are Cancun, London, and Frankfurt.

The airline also expects to serve nearly two million Stroopwafels, and says Universal’s Wicked will be its most-streamed onboard movie because the sequel Wicked: For Good just arrived in theaters.

Write to Janet H. Cho at janet.cho@dowjones.com