2022 Thanksgiving travel expected to be third-busiest on record
Nov 18, 2022, 3:18 PM
Thanksgiving 2022 is expected to be the third busiest travel season on-record, according to AAA. (Don Wilson, Port Photographer)
(Don Wilson, Port Photographer)
Nearly 55 million Americans, including 1.5 million Washingtonians, are expected to travel for the Thanksgiving holiday — the third-busiest on record. The five-day period lasts between Wednesday, Nov. 23 through Sunday, Nov. 27.
“I think people who may not have traveled the last Thanksgiving due to COVID surges are finally getting to visit family and friends for this particular holiday,” said AAA spokesperson Kelly Just.
Heavy traffic, crowded airports expected for Thanksgiving travel
This may explain why Thanksgiving holiday travel is up this year.
So are people going to be driving or flying to their destination?
“A majority of people will, in fact, be driving to their destinations, but Washington is a little different in that we are actually going to be above pre-pandemic levels for air travel,” Just said.
This is likely because of gas prices, according to Just. Washingtonians are doing the math and comparing the cost of putting gas into their vehicles versus flying.
Expect Wednesday to be the busiest travel day by far on the roads and in airports because everyone is going to be trying to get to their destinations by Thanksgiving. If you plan on driving Wednesday, leave before 8 a.m. or after 8 p.m. If neither is ideal, try leaving early Thanksgiving morning, depending on how far you have to go.
Here are some tips to hopefully make your trip easier:
- Take alternate transportation to the airport.
- Get dropped off at the arrivals and walk up to check-in at Sea-Tac Airport.
- Avoid checking in a bag.
- To avoid long TSA lines, download the SEA App and sign up for Spot Saver, which will save you a spot in line at security.
- Sign up for AAA. No, seriously, if your travel goes sideways at the airport and you need to re-book a canceled flight or car rental, AAA customer service can handle it for you at no charge.
Expect delays wherever you go, and most importantly, have a safe and thankful Thanksgiving holiday.
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