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- Thanksgiving air travel hits record with 232,000 flights in the US.
- Previous records were set last year with 2.9 million TSA screenings in one day.
- Minimal flight disruptions have been reported, but snowstorms in the northeast could affect travel.
Air travel in the US broke previous records for Thanksgiving – maintaining unprecedented reliability.
From Sunday, November 24, to Thanksgiving Day, the Federal Aviation Administration documented 232,000 flights in the US – the highest number ever recorded during Thanksgiving week.
This week has already broken several records: approximately 2.7 million passengers passed through TSA each day on Tuesday and Wednesday, setting a record for a Tuesday before Thanksgiving. Around 1.6 million passengers passed through on Thursday, Reuters reported.
The industry group Airlines for America estimates that more than 3 million passengers will fly in the US on Sunday. If reached, this would surpass last year’s record of 2.9 million passengers checked in on the Sunday after Thanksgiving.
So far, Thanksgiving air travel has also never been less chaotic – 0.3% of flights were canceled and 1.2% were impacted by delays – fewer than ever at this time of year, according to the FAA.
That could change for those flying to and from the Northeast. Parts of New England could be covered in snow by Friday morning, while a lake-effect storm forecast from Cleveland to Buffalo, New York, could bring five feet of snow this weekend and next week.
