Thanksgiving travel rush hits Chicago airports with record passenger numbers
CHICAGO - Between planes, trains, and automobiles, Thanksgiving travel is in full swing—with record-breaking numbers expected.
This holiday, more than four million Illinois residents are forecast to travel at least 50 miles.
Most travelers will get to their destinations by car, but air travel is also seeing a boost.
The Chicago Department of Aviation projects over 1.8 million travelers will pass through O'Hare and Midway airports between Tuesday, Nov. 26 and Monday, Dec. 2.
O'Hare International Airport (ORD) promises to be particularly busy with an anticipated increase of 11% in passenger traffic compared to last Thanksgiving, officials said. Sunday is expected to be the busiest travel day at the airport with the weight of more than 254,000 passengers.
Aviation officials project travel levels at Midway Airport to remain consistent with last year's holiday.
On Tuesday, a bustling O’Hare Airport was the last thing standing between travelers and time with family.
"I am really excited for Thanksgiving, and I am really looking forward to seeing my grandparents’ house where we’re going," said Jane, who is 10 years old.
"Just feels like another home to me," Arj Patel said after arriving to Chicago from Alabama.
"Excited to go home, sleep a little more, spend time with my parents," said Samantha Kurapaty, who is traveling to Maryland.
This Thanksgiving, passengers are serving up a new record.
AAA projected nearly 80 million people will travel domestically over the Thanksgiving holiday.
Up above, 5.8 million Americans will hit the skies; that's up two percent nationwide over last year and nearly 11 percent since 2019.
Plus, the bump in air travel comes despite an increase in airfare.
Featured
Chicago Thanksgiving travel outlook: When are the busiest times to fly, drive?
Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel periods of the year, and Chicagoans should prepare for heavy traffic and crowded airports as the holiday approaches.
"My round-trip flight for Thanksgiving was like more than double my Christmas round-trip flight," said Kurapaty.
Now, here's to hoping smooth skies are ahead—and that's exactly what operations centers are for.
"This is really where the magic happens, this is the heartbeat or, I would say, we’re the quarterback of the operation," said Rick VanCleve, managing director, ORD Station Operations Center (SOC), United Airlines.
Located deep within the airport and staffed by about 50 to 60 people per day, the SOC is where flights coming in and out of O’Hare are closely monitored. Employees also handle emergency situations and tackle issues caused by weather.
"We practice weeks in advance to get prepared for the holidays and now it’s right here before us," VanCleve said.
Similarly, Ben Humphrey from American Airlines says they've been running drills for months.
"It’s a good time to plan in the summertime because we’re busy then and we’re busy now again," said Humphrey, who is the vice president of ORD Operations for American Airlines.
And it’s all to get passengers home and to the table by Thursday evening!
"Thankfully the weather is going to be great this weekend, we’ve been practicing de-icing for three months, we had a great practice run with the snowstorm last week so we’re ready to go," Humphrey said.
For those driving to their destinations, Chicago expressways are expected to be busiest on Wednesday between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m.
Minimal traffic is expected on Thanksgiving Day, according to AAA.
Friday, those traveling by car are encouraged to leave after 1 p.m. to avoid backups, but before 1 p.m. if you’re driving on Saturday.
Experts with AAA are forecasting traffic to reach its peak between noon and 6 p.m. on Sunday, and between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Monday.
Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel periods of the year, and Chicagoans should prepare for heavy traffic and crowded airports as the holiday approaches.