Millions of Americans are facing significant travel disruptions this Thanksgiving holiday as a powerful winter storm sweeps across the nation, causing widespread flight delays and cancellations. Just as families prepared to gather for Thanksgiving, inclement weather has thrown holiday travel plans into disarray, creating headaches at airports nationwide.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) had anticipated record-breaking travel numbers for the Thanksgiving period, projecting 18.3 million people to pass through security checkpoints between Tuesday and Monday. They expected Tuesday, Wednesday, and Sunday to be the peak travel days. Similarly, the American Automobile Association (AAA) predicted a record 71.7 million people would be driving, a substantial increase from the previous year. However, severe weather conditions have significantly impacted both air and road travel, leading to widespread Thanksgiving Travel Delays.
A major winter storm system is currently impacting the Northeast, with the National Weather Service (NWS) issuing winter storm warnings and weather advisories from northern Maine down to central Pennsylvania. This Thanksgiving Day storm is bringing not only snow and ice but also the coldest air of the season to the Plains and Midwest. The NWS Weather Prediction Center warned of “bitterly cold wind chills” and “heavy lake-effect snowfall” expected to persist through Monday. These hazardous conditions are directly contributing to the widespread Thanksgiving travel delays.
As of early Thursday, FlightAware reported over 5,000 flight delays and 245 cancellations across the country. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had already cautioned travelers on Wednesday about potential delays at major hubs including Denver and Salt Lake City. The ripple effect of the storm is also impacting airports in Boston, Dallas, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, Tampa, Los Angeles, New Jersey, and Seattle, further exacerbating Thanksgiving travel delays. Travelers are urged to check their flight status directly with their airlines and be prepared for potential disruptions as the weather system continues to move across the country.
