The Worst Days To Travel For Thanksgiving 2024

While you should generally try to avoid flying around the holidays to protect your sanity, you may be anticipating taking to the skies to make it home for Thanksgiving. Just know that you won't be alone, as huge numbers of people book fights right around the holiday. Unfortunately, these crowds, paired with the weather, can make your flying experience pretty unpleasant. According to data analyzed by NerdWallet, in recent years, the Sunday after Thanksgiving is one of the busiest days to fly — which might just make it the worst day of the year to book a flight. Every day that you wait to fly will be slightly better than the last, but it won't truly calm down until almost a full week after the holiday. When it comes to booking your departing flight, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving is also very likely to be chaotic, and Tuesday won't be much better.

There are plenty of incredible destinations around America to visit this November, but the date you pick can make or break your holiday trip. Not only can flying on peak dates cost an expensive premium compared to less in-demand flights, you might find yourself spending all day in the airport. The last thing you want when you arrive is an incredibly long line to get inside the building, and the enormous crowds trying to make their flights can make security wait times longer than ever.

While you can't do much to prepare for the possibility of having your Thanksgiving trip derailed by winter storms (other than thinking about the best ways to sleep in an airport comfortably), you can choose dates for your trip that are less likely to be pricey and crowded. If you're willing to fly on Thanksgiving day, you can find some excellent savings and avoid the worst of the holiday crowds. Plus, you'll potentially avoid having to help prepare dinner. However, if you have a flight delay due to bad weather, you might find yourself late. Thanks to Black Friday shopping, you might also be able to get some good deals to go home the day after Thanksgiving when fewer people are traveling.

Flying in on Thanksgiving afternoon and heading home the next day definitely gives you less time to relax with your family and friends while celebrating the holiday, and you might miss out on the opportunity to enjoy cooking together. If you're able to get away for longer, the best way to avoid airport crowds and have a relaxing holiday is to extend your Thanksgiving trip. The Saturday before the holiday is significantly quieter at the airport, as is the Wednesday after, so if you're able, you can skip the Thanksgiving rush completely.