The Busiest U.S. Airports At Thanksgiving

The post-Thanksgiving travel rush is still ongoing. After feasting on all that wonderful turkey, stuffing and sweet potato, many Americans who had to travel long distances for Thanksgiving have been thinking about their return trips with a sense of foreboding. Thanksgiving is always an extremely busy time at airports and on highways with the AAA predicted that some 50.9 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more away from home, marking a 3.3 percent increase on last year.

Being stuck bumper-to-bumper on the interstate is infuriating but so too are the long lines and security checks at U.S. airports. There is a new screening procedure this year and it requires passengers to remove all electronic items larger than a cellphone from their carry-on, something which is likely to make the lines even longer. Data from Hopper and InsureMyTrip reported by PR Newswire sheds light on the airports that were expected to be the busiest over Thanksgiving.

If possible, Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport might be one to avoid, given that it was projected to handle 1.38 million departing passengers in Thanksgiving week, the most nationwide. LAX is in second position with 1.13 million while Chicago O'Hare comes third with just over a million departing passengers.