Millions of travelers hitting the roads or heading for the airport may face delays due to long lines and severe weather that threatens to disrupt holiday travel over the next few days.
Nearly 80 million people are expected to travel in various ways, including cruises, during Thanksgiving, according to AAA. The organization projects that nearly 72 million people will travel by car over the holiday period and about 6 million will travel by plane within the U.S.
More than 50,000 flights are expected to take off Tuesday — one of the busiest Thanksgiving travel days — and around 50,000 are expected to fly on Wednesday as well, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
So far, more than 1,000 flights in, out and within the U.S. have been delayed on Tuesday, according to FlightAware. The majority of delays travelers face at airports are not because of air traffic controller staffing, but "weather and volume," which drive nearly all delays, the FAA tells NPR.
"For the Thanksgiving holiday travel period, the FAA will implement traffic flow management initiatives to address any staffing shortages as needed," the FAA says, adding that it has more than 14,000 air traffic controllers and plans to hire over 2,000 more.
Transportation Security Administration chief David Pekoske on Tuesday urged fliers to "pack a little patience" and understanding as they make their travel plans.
"Travelers: Airports will be busy today and tomorrow. Please be sure to arrive at least 2 hours early for domestic and 3 hours for international flights," Pekoske wrote in a social media post.
On top of crowded roads and terminals that could prolong travel and lead to longer wait times, travelers will also face delays because of severe weather depending on where they live and their holiday destinations.
"Messy Thanksgiving travel possible in the eastern half of the U.S., including potential central/northern tier winter weather," the National Weather Service (NWS) said in an advisory on Sunday.
Heavy snow can be expected in higher elevations of the Central Rockies and "moderate to heavy" rain will move across the Tennessee Valley region and southeastern states to the Appalachians and mid-Atlantic regions late Wednesday into Thursday, according to the NWS.
Joe Carr, national aviation meteorologist for the NWS, says there may be travel issues for those in the New York and Boston areas Tuesday as heavy rain and wintry weather moves across the region. Travelers could also face delays in San Francisco on Tuesday. On Wednesday, most of the country will be in "pretty good shape" for travelers, but for those flying into areas like Aspen, Colorado, could be delayed by snowfall, Carr says.
"Thanksgiving Day, [a] storm system, moves into the mid-Atlantic region. [It's] primarily going to be rain and for the mid-big cities of the northeast — D.C., Philadelphia, New York, Boston — all could see some delays due to inclement weather, such as most ceilings, and or lower visibilities with the rain," Carr says. The storm system will move out Friday and cause gusty winds, he says.
A public service campaign by the U.S Department of Homeland Security on Friday urged travelers to prepare by setting alerts in the FEMA app and following the NWS for updates. It also cautioned drivers to make sure their emergency car kit is fully stocked.
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