Travel time
Officials expect busy Thanksgiving travel period
Transportation officials are bracing for a busy travel period surrounding the Thanksgiving holiday, and those who fly might be part of a record-setting crowd.
AAA projected this year will have the highest Thanksgiving travel volume since 2005, with more than 54 million Americans traveling at least 50 miles from home. That’s a 4.8 percent increase from last year, according to the travel association.
Most travelers, about 48.5 million, will drive — a nearly 5 percent increase from last year. But the largest growth in holiday travel is expected to be by air, with 4.27 million people flying from Wednesday through Sunday, a 5.4 percent increase, according to AAA.
The Transportation Security Administration expects a record number of flyers during the Thanksgiving holiday travel period. Nationwide, more than 25 million passengers were expected to travel through security checkpoints from Nov. 16 through Nov. 26, TSA reported. That’s an increase of about 5 percent from last year.
Locally, Will Rogers World Airport officials also are anticipating a potential record holiday travel season.
“Our expectation is that it will exceed last year, which will be a
record,” said Karen Carney, an airport spokeswoman. “The early word from our airlines locally is that they will be filling their aircraft not just the day before Thanksgiving and Sunday after, but the entire week.”
Carney said a conservative projection is that about 150,000 people will travel through the airport from Nov. 16-26. That estimate is based on flights being at about 85 percent filled every day.
Historically, Thanksgiving is one of the busiest times of the year because the holiday is condensed into a short period of time, Carney said. However, airport officials have noticed a shift over the years of more people traveling over a larger number of days, she said.
This year, Carney said they were expecting a surge the Friday before Thanksgiving. The day before Thanksgiving, and the Sunday and Monday after Thanksgiving are also expected to be extremely busy, Carney said. They’ve also started to see more people flying on Thanksgiving Day, she said.
“It’s still a much slower day than the other days, but that’s a number that’s been growing over the years,” Carney said.
Those who plan to fly can follow some commonsense tips to help make the process smoother for everyone, such as arriving early, packing smart and being prepared.
The biggest mistake holiday travelers make is not allowing enough time, Carney said. She said it’s imperative for people to arrive early enough to park, check their bags, go through security and get to their gate.
The east security checkpoint, near the Delta ticket counter, is closed in preparation for a planned terminal expansion. The west security checkpoint, next to the American Airlines ticket counter, has been expanded to include an annex. All travelers will go through the same queuing area at the west security checkpoint, Carney said, but TSA officers will direct some travelers to the adjacent area after checking their IDs and boarding passes.
“(TSA officials are) prepared and they feel very comfortable about being able to move people through the checkpoint quickly,” she said.
This time of year, the airport sees a lot of
hunters, Carney said. She reminded people that firearms are not allowed in carry-on bags. She encouraged people to visit TSA.gov to learn more about what items they are allowed to carry on.
People who are coming to the airport to greet travelers should be aware that hourly parking has been temporarily relocated. There are signs directing people where to go, Carney said.
On the road
For those planning to drive, Wednesday and Sunday will likely be the busiest travel days, said Oklahoma Highway Patrol Capt. Paul Timmons.
He encouraged motorists to not be distracted drivers, to wear seat belts and to be prepared for delays in areas of the state where highway construction is underway. He also urged people to obey speed limits, to be mindful of emergency crews and first responders on the side of the road and to allow extra time and following distance.
“We will have all of our available resources assisting, making sure drivers obey the speed limits, wear seat belts, watching for aggressive drivers, traffic violations, trying to provide a safe environment for people that are traveling the interstates and state highways,” Timmons said.