No hard feelings toward Uncle Sam?
Well, millions of Thanksgiving holiday travelers probably won’t go that far this week as many salve psychological wounds from a U.S. government shutdown that slowed commercial aviation this month to the outer limits of exasperation.
Nonetheless, South Florida airport officials, the nation’s airlines and the Federal Aviation Administration are all expecting record numbers of travelers between now and Dec. 2.
“During the 12-day Thanksgiving travel period from Nov. 21 to Dec. 2, we expect 1.96 million passengers at MIA, which would be a 4% increase over last year and a new record,” Greg Chin, spokesman for Miami International Airport, said in an email Monday. “The busiest days are projected to be Nov. 21-22 and Nov. 29-Dec. 1, when travel at MIA is expected to reach or exceed 170,000 passengers daily.”
Neither Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International nor Palm Beach International airports responded to requests for Thanksgiving travel forecasts on Monday. But a recent survey of 350 U.S. airports for the online booking platform Luxury Link shows what travelers can expect at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood. During Thanksgiving and Christmas in 2024, holiday traffic jumped by 17.3% year over year. The airport handled an average of 56,226 passengers per day, according to the survey. The upside change was the largest among hub airports across the nation.
Flights to peak Tuesday
The FAA says it expects the busiest Thanksgiving travel period in 15 years. The peak day for flight operations is expected to be Tuesday, with 52,000 flights traversing the nation’s skies.
“Thanks to the dedication of our air traffic controllers and every FAA employee, we are ready for the holiday rush and take pride in helping travelers reach their friends and families during this important time of year,” said FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford in a statement. “I am deeply grateful to our entire FAA team. Even through a period of record-high traffic, their unwavering commitment keeps the system running safely.”
The nation’s air traffic control system returned to relatively normal operations last week as politicians in Washington ended the longest-ever government shutdown and an FAA-mandated cutback of airline flights came to an end.
Despite the personal inconveniences and financial losses incurred by thousands of delays and cancellations earlier this month, travel analysts expect most travelers will set the animus aside and board planes to visit friends and family.
“I think the shutdown at this point is history for air travel. The airlines understand this time of year so well. They know exactly what they need to do,” Sheldon H. Jacobson, an airport and airlines operations expert at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, told The Associated Press. “The real challenge is making sure travelers can help themselves.”
Some tips for travelers:
- Watch for bad weather up north. According to AccuWeather, “cross-country storms will disrupt holiday travel; winds could threaten parade balloons in New York City and Philadelphia” on Thursday, the service warned Monday. “Thunderstorms and rain could slow road and air travel from the Plains and Mississippi Valley to the East Coast through Wednesday.”
- When packing, “check every pocket in case TSA-restricted items, like full-sized bottles, were left behind from a previous trip. This simple scan can help you get through security faster, especially when airports are crowded,” Jacobson said.
- For airport security checkpoints, “don’t forget a REAL ID is required to fly within the U.S., or you’ll need to bring another accepted form of ID, like a passport or military ID,” according to Jacobson.
- To keep pace with your flight’s status, download your airline’s app “and check it regularly as your travel date approaches. That way, if your flight is canceled the day before, you can quickly look for alternatives,” Jacobson said.
Road trips
Some analysts surmised that many travelers jarred by the shutdown have canceled their flights and opted for road trips in their personal cars, or even rides aboard Amtrak, the national passenger system, or closer to home, Brightline.
AAA — The Auto Club Group said Monday that it, too, expects record numbers of travelers to take to the nation’s and state’s highways, a surge that will drive up the price of a gallon of gasoline.
“Given the timing of the shutdown, happening just weeks before the holiday, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see travelers adjust their plans to avoid potential headaches surrounding air travel,” Mark Jenkins, a spokesman for AAA in Tampa, told the South Florida Sun Sentinel by email.
Of a “record-setting 81.8 million Americans” expected to travel 50 miles or more, 73 million will drive, the organization said in a statement.
“In Florida, more than 4.25 million residents are expected to venture out,” the statement said. “Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons are forecast to be the busiest times on the road.”
Jenkins said gas prices jumped 20 cents last week.
“If that pattern holds, drivers could see prices ease as they hit the road for Thanksgiving,” he said. “With pump prices matching last year’s holiday, even a small drop would give travelers extra savings compared to 2024.”
As of Sunday, Florida gas prices averaged $3.10 per gallon, which is 18 cents above last week and 15 cents more than last month. It’s also the same price as Thanksgiving Day last year, AAA said.
Before leaving, check the tires, car battery and fluids, AAA advises. Make sure you hit the road “with a full tank of gas as early as possible to avoid traffic.” AAA says it responded to nearly 600,000 emergency roadside assistance calls during the 2024 Thanksgiving holiday to help drivers with dead batteries, flat tires and empty gas tanks.
All aboard?
Brightline, the Miami-based higher speed rail line which rarely passes over a chance to run holiday or special events promotions, said it expects “tens of thousands” to board its trains for trips between Miami and Orlando.
“Guests also will be able to take advantage of our added Premium capacity over the holidays with five additional premium cars added to the new network this month and five more by the end of the year,” according to a spokesperson. “We debuted our new Premium benefits last month, including priority queueing, boarding, and enhanced checked bag benefits and added an additional five Premium cars.”
Amtrak, the nation’s national passenger service, said it, too, expects high levels of holiday bookings.
“Amtrak is operating full service and is ready to welcome travelers with a smooth, flexible, and convenient experience,” said a spokesperson by email. “As air travel becomes less reliable, more riders are choosing the convenience of rail — a trend that began before the government shutdown and many flight cancellations.”
In South Florida, Amtrak’s Floridian, which ends in Chicago, and the Silver Meteor, which goes to New York, serve stations including Miami, Hollywood, Fort Lauderdale, Deerfield Beach and West Palm Beach.
Tri-Rail, the publicly subsidized commuter line that serves 19 stations across Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties, said it is watching and waiting. The line’s southernmost station is a short distance from Miami International Airport. It also operates a shuttle bus service between Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International and the railroad’s station on nearby Griffin Road west of Interstate 95.
“We’re not expecting anything outside the norm,” said Tri-Rail spokesman Victor Garcia. But the rail line is “ready for an influx.”
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.