With Thanksgiving comes sickeningly sweet yams, fall-off-the-bone turkey and catching up with loved ones. But before that comes long lines at the airports, flight delays and plenty of shoddy WiFi in between.
This Thanksgiving season will bring a record-breaking number of flyers, according to the Transportation Security Administration.
TSA is expecting more than 26.8 million passengers to travel nationwide from Nov. 22 through Dec. 2.
“We expect record-breaking travel volume this 2019 holiday season, following our busiest summer ever,” said Patricia Cogswell, TSA acting deputy administrator. “To plan for the season, partnerships with industry and stakeholders are critical to keep travelers moving safely and securely to holiday destinations. We want to ensure travelers are as best prepared as they can be.”
According to the TSA, the busiest travel days this holiday will be Nov. 27 with 2.7 million passengers and crew expected to be traveling to their Thanksgiving festivities and Dec. 1 with 2.8 million flyers returning home.
Here are some tips from TSA to ensure a smooth and efficient traveling experience:
- Pack smart. Make sure there are no prohibited items in your luggage. “As always, passengers can bring pies, cakes and other baked goods through the checkpoints; however, liquids such as eggnog and maple syrup, and gels such as preserves and jellies, should go into checked bags,” according to a statement from the administration. To check if your items comply with federal safety regulations, check the “What can I bring?” page.
- Present proper ID at the security checkpoint. Travelers should make sure they have an acceptable ID. Remember, REAL ID enforcement is less than one year away. Beginning October 1, 2020, every air traveler 18 years of age and older will need a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license, state-issued enhanced driver’s license, or another acceptable form of ID to fly within the United States.
For more information, visit TSA.gov.