What's ahead for travelers during Thanksgiving 2023
CBSN
More people travel for Thanksgiving than any other U.S. holiday, and they get on the road or board planes starting nearly a week ahead of time. Friday — Nov. 17 this year — is generally regarded as the start of the holiday travel season, which stretches to the Tuesday following the holiday, Nov. 28 this year.
It's already been a record year for travel: The Transportation Security Administration saw seven of the 10 busiest days in its history in 2023, said Administrator David Pekoske. The TSA expects to screen more than 30 million travelers over the period, according to a news release, noting the three busiest days have historically been the Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Sunday after.
And don't expect a reprieve on the roads — most Americans will get to their holiday destination by automobile. More than 55 million people are expected to head at least 50 miles to their Thanksgiving destination between Wednesday, Nov. 22 and Sunday, Nov. 26, and more than 49 million of them will drive, according to AAA. The organization predicts this year will see the third-highest travel numbers for the holiday stretch since 2000, marking a return to pre-pandemic levels.
