U.S. airlines expect to carry 25.3 million passengers around the Thanksgiving holiday, which would be the highest number since the recession of 2008.
This period has the highest fares in the U.S. travel calendar – much worse than just before Christmas or at the peak of the summer season. The Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Sunday afterwards, when everyone returns home before the start of the working week, are the days when travel fares reach their highest.
Airlines for America projected that airlines will carry an average of 65,000 more passengers each day for the holiday period from Nov. 20 through Dec. 1.
The heaviest travel days will be Wednesday, Nov.25., Sunday, Nov. 29; Monday, Nov. 30. The number of daily passengers during the holiday period will range from 1.4 million to 2.7 million.
