In less than three weeks, Americans will be brining turkeys, welcoming out-of-town guests and prepping their Black Friday shopping lists.
But if things don’t change soon, millions could find themselves in the middle of a giant travel headache.
On Friday, the Federal Aviation Administration began restricting the number of flights airlines could operate, as the government shutdown strained the already short-staffed air traffic control workforce that has been unpaid for weeks.
By late next week, the cancellations are set to affect one in 10 flights at dozens of the nation’s busiest hubs, which could shutter thousands of daily departures.
And then there were scenes like we saw in Houston earlier this week, where (also-unpaid) Transportation Security Administration absences fueled three-hour lines at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH).
Read more: How each airline is handling the flight cuts, starting Friday: What to know
Crowds stand in line at a TSA checkpoint in Houston amid the government shutdown. MARK FELIX/AFP/GETTY IMAGES
Meanwhile, airlines are expecting a record 31 million customers to fly for Thanksgiving in 2025 — on the heels of a summer that, for all the travel demand concerns, brought eight of the 10 busiest days ever at U.S. airports.
Should the shutdown — and weeks of additional unpaid labor for TSA and FAA workers — drag on for weeks more, this year’s Turkey Day travel rush could be a chaotic one at airports, the head of the nation’s top air traffic controllers union warned this week.
“I can’t even begin to predict what the impacts will be across this country,” Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, said Wednesday on CNBC.
Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily newsletter
Join over 700,000 readers for breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG’s experts
By signing up, you will receive newsletters and promotional content and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
“Three-hour TSA wait lines,” Daniels added, “will be the least of our worries.”
It might already be too late for a smooth Thanksgiving
As of Friday, 3.5 million travelers had already felt the impact of delays or cancellations resulting from the longest government shutdown in history, a trade group for the largest U.S. carriers shared.
Boston Logan International Airport (BOS). JOHN TLUMACKI/THE BOSTON GLOBE/ GETTY IMAGES
That number was on track to grow rapidly as airlines implemented FAA-ordered flight reductions aimed at alleviating the burden on increasingly strained air traffic control centers.
“We implore Congress to act with extreme urgency to get the federal government reopened,” Airlines for America said in a statement Friday.
But even if the shutdown ends soon, it might already be too late for a smooth-sailing Thanksgiving at airports, experts cautioned.
“There should be a little boomerang effect,” Margaret Warren, air traffic control professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, said, offering a glimmer of hope.
“But there’s also going to be some trickle down,” she said, “as we go into the holidays, just trying to recover.”
What to do if you’re traveling for Thanksgiving
At this point, it’s too early to know for sure how significantly the shutdown will affect the upcoming holiday season.
After all, much hinges on how long the Congress remains locked in a stalemate.
The U.S. Capitol in Washington. PENNY ROGERS PHOTOGRAPHY/MOMENT/GETTY IMAGES
With that said, here’s our best advice for handling what could be an unusual holiday season at airports
Book nonstop flights or longer connections
If I were still booking flights for Thanksgiving, I’d aim for a nonstop flight.
If a connection is necessary, I’d opt for a multi-hour layover that will offer a safety net in case your first flight is delayed.
Stranded travelers check their phones at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). ANDRES KUDACKI/GETTY IMAGES
After all, while there had been some hope that the FAA could reduce delays by limiting the number of flights, Warren doesn’t think the late departures will dissipate.
“I think we’re going see both,” she said. “They may move some flights to not-so-peak times. And some [flights] are just going to have to not exist for awhile.”
Better to spend a few hours sitting in a lounge or an airport restaurant than to have a 50-minute taxiway backup that causes you to miss your connecting flight.
Arrive at your destination early
Speaking of cutting it close, I’d avoid trying to fly in last minute for a major family gathering you need to be at.
Anticipate disruptions and see if you can build in some extra time between your arrival and the big event.
Travelers check in via kiosks at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL). ELIJAH NOUVELAGE/BLOOMBERG/GETTY IMAGES
Keep in mind that a number of airlines have issued flexible travel waivers, which are expected to run through the shutdown. If the shutdown is still going on when Thanksgiving gets closer, you may be able to tinker with your itinerary.
Avoid the busiest travel days
It’s a good year to avoid flying home on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, which is typically the busiest travel day of the entire year and, in 2024, set an all-time record for passengers at U.S. airports (a record later broken on June 22 of this year).
Airlines expect Monday, Dec. 1, to be the second-busiest day of the travel rush.
Comfortable traveling on Turkey Day itself? Thanksgiving Day 2024 was the quietest day of the entire year at airports nationally. Obviously, parachuting in on Thanksgiving morning is the opposite of arriving early to your destination … but it is a way to avoid the biggest crowds.
Book with a credit card that has travel insurance (but read the fine print)
I’d also book my trip using a credit card that has travel insurance protections. This may help you recoup the cost of an unexpected hotel stay or meal out if you get stranded.
However, know that some cards may not cover disruptions due to the shutdown. Terms vary from one card and policy to another — so read the fine print closely.
Use those line-cutting TSA programs
Consider signing up for a time-saving program to get you through security checkpoints, as we saw hours-long wait times this week at one major hub airport. Like air traffic controllers, TSA officers are working without pay.
Travelers wait in a TSA line at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD). KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
Clear can help you cut the line at TSA checkpoints. It costs more than $200 annually, but some credit cards offer reimbursment of the annual membership fee.
Also, the new TSA PreCheck Touchless ID program is at a growing number of airports, and it is one of the biggest time-savers around. You’ll need to sign up ahead of your flight through your airline profile. Here’s a full rundown of airports where it’s available.
TSA Touchless ID at New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA). CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY
Do your part to keep the TSA checkpoints moving
Finally, every TSA line moves faster if each of us does our part to keep things moving.
That means following the 3-1-1 liquids rules and having a Real ID or approved alternative (like a passport) handy.
The silver lining? This will be the first holiday season where no travelers have to remove their shoes at airport security.
Related reading:
