Business
Thanksgiving Travelers Expected to Pass Through O’Hare, Hit the Road in Record Numbers This Year
Passengers walk through Chicago O’Hare International Airport in a file photo. (tupungato / iStock)
Travel during the Thanksgiving holiday period is expected to break records this year — regardless of whether you hit the road or take to the skies.
O’Hare is likely to see its busiest Thanksgiving travel week in the airport’s 70-year history, according to the city’s aviation department. More than 1.63 million travelers are expected to pass through O’Hare, a 9.5% increase from last year. The peak day for travel at O’Hare and Midway is expected to be the Sunday after Thanksgiving.
O’Hare and Midway, combined, are expected to welcome nearly 2 million travelers between Tuesday and Monday, according to the city’s aviation department.
The Thanksgiving travel season comes a week after the Federal Aviation Administration lifted restrictions on commercial flights imposed at select major airports — including at O’Hare and Midway — amid the country’s longest government shutdown.
The FAA expects this year’s Thanksgiving travel season to be the busiest in 15 years, according to a news release. Tuesday is expected to be the peak travel day, with more than 52,000 flights, according to the FAA.
Nationwide, nearly 82 million Americans are expected to travel for Thanksgiving, with nearly 90% traveling by car, according to AAA.
The automobile association’s projections include those traveling at least 50 miles from home by car, air, bus, train or cruise ship. In Illinois, more than 4.1 million residents are expected to travel during the Thanksgiving holiday period, setting a new record for Thanksgiving travel in the state, according to AAA.
“Illinoisans are embracing the Thanksgiving spirit with record-breaking travel plans this year,” Debbie Haas, AAA vice president of travel, said in a news release last week. “Even with concerns about flight cancellations, travelers are showing flexibility and resilience and relying most on driving.”
Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons will be the most congested travel times for drivers before Thanksgiving, according to AAA. Heavy traffic is also expected all day Sunday as travelers return home.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Contact Eunice Alpasan: [email protected]
