It’s a busy week for millions of Americans who are traveling for Thanksgiving.At the nation’s airports, the TSA expects to screen nearly 18 million people from the Tuesday before Thanksgiving to the Tuesday after the holiday, while the FAA expects this will be the busiest Thanksgiving in terms of flights in at least 15 years.Most people, however, will be traveling by car. AAA projects that overall, 81.8 million people will travel 50 miles or more during the Thanksgiving holiday period.”This year’s domestic travel forecast includes an additional 1.6 million travelers compared to last Thanksgiving, setting a new overall record,” it says.Here is a look at the days that are expected to be the busiest for travelers. Busiest days for flyingEight of the busiest days in TSA history have been this year, and the Sunday after Thanksgiving could join that list — or set a new record. The agency is planning to screen more than 3 million travelers on Sunday, Nov. 30, alone.”We are projecting that the Sunday after Thanksgiving will be one of the busiest travel days in TSA history,” Adam Stahl, senior official performing the duties of deputy TSA administrator, said in a statement.Airlines for America, a trade association that represents the airlines based in Washington, D.C., also expects the Sunday after Thanksgiving to be the busiest day of this Thanksgiving travel period, with 3.39 million travelers expected. The group expects the second-busiest day to be Monday, Dec. 1, with 3.09 million travelers, followed by the Friday after Thanksgiving, with 3.06 million travelers.Overall, Airlines for America predicts that U.S. airlines will fly a record 31 million passengers from Friday, Nov. 21, through Monday, Dec. 1.The FAA says it expects this Thanksgiving holiday travel period to be the busiest in 15 years, with Tuesday, Nov. 25, being the peak travel day. More than 52,000 flights are expected nationwide on Tuesday.In the New York area, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey expects that Sunday, Nov. 30, and Monday, Dec. 1, will be the busiest days at the region’s airports: John F. Kennedy International, Newark Liberty International, LaGuardia Airport and New York Stewart International.The expectations for robust – and possibly record-breaking – travel follow disruptions in air travel nationwide during the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. Some air traffic controllers called out as they were being asked to work without pay – leading to delays and prompting federal authorities to order flight cuts across the nation.One family traveling to Las Vegas this weekend wasn’t sure what to expect.”I was very nervous about it,” Megan Mirka told CBS News at airport baggage claim. “I didn’t want to go, but everyone else did. So we came, and it was good. Whatever changed, I’m glad, ‘cuz this was very different than last month.”Busiest days for drivingSome would-be flyers might be opting to instead drive to their Thanksgiving destinations because of the uncertainty at airports during the shutdown. AAA expects that at least 73 million people will travel this year by car – accounting for nearly 90% of Thanksgiving travelers. That number is 1.3 million more than last year, and “could end up being higher if some air travelers decide to drive instead of fly following recent flight cancellations,” AAA notes.The Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons before Thanksgiving are projected to be the most congested for drivers traveling in major metro areas nationwide, according to the transportation analytics firm INRIX. Tuesday from 12-9 p.m. and Wednesday from 11 a.m.-8 p.m. are expected to be the “worst” travel times.”Travelers returning home on Sunday should expect heavy traffic most of the day,” INRIX says.According to AAA, Hertz says Wednesday is expected to be the busiest car-rental pick-up day.Thanksgiving week weather Storms this week could impact travel.One of two cross-country storm systems is taking shape on Monday, bringing heavy rainfall and severe thunderstorms across the South. It is forecast to move into the Ohio Valley and Northeast over the next two days, according to Nikki Nolan, meteorologist for CBS News and Stations. A second, more powerful storm system will deliver cold temperatures and snowfall to the northern U.S. and Great Lakes region. Snow totals could reach up to 14 inches near the Canadian border and the storm could bring high winds across parts of the Northern Plains. This system is expected to move across the Great Lakes through the week and bring lake effect snowfall downwind of Lake Erie and Ontario.
