FAA says Thanksgiving travel will be busiest in 15 years with over 360,000 flights

The Federal Aviation Administration is gearing up for its busiest Thanksgiving travel holiday since 2010 next week.

In a news release on Friday, the agency said it’s expecting more than 52,000 flights on Tuesday, Nov. 25 alone.

“Thanks to the dedication of our air traffic controllers and every FAA employee, we are ready for the holiday rush and take pride in helping travelers reach their friends and families during this important time of year,” said FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford.

In total, the FAA said more than 360,000 flights will take off across the Thanksgiving travel period.

“I am deeply grateful to our entire FAA team. Even through a period of record-high traffic, their unwavering commitment keeps the system running safely,” Bedford said.

According to AAA, roughly 82 million Americans will take to the road or skies from Tuesday until Monday, Dec. 1, to make their Thanksgiving holiday plans.

According to the FOX Forecast Center, two storms are looming over the holiday, with potential road impacts, but the full extent is unclear.

The first storm system is expected to develop next Monday, Nov. 24, and bring rain to the southern Plains as it tracks into the Southeast and potentially the mid-Atlantic or Northeast through Tuesday.

A second storm system comes on Monday as well, bringing more rain and colder conditions to the Pacific Northwest, while the West, Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and parts of the Southeast are likely to have a drier Thanksgiving Day.

The FAA reminds travelers to pack their patience and arrive at the airport early with ample time to check bags and get through TSA.

For holiday travel tips and information, check out the FAA’s newly updated Holiday Travel page.