United States airlines are predicting another record Thanksgiving holiday travel period following the end of the U.S. government shutdown.
Airlines are set to carry more than 31 million people between 21 November and 1 December, which is an all-time high according to Airlines for America (A4A).
This builds upon the 30.6 million who used air travel during the Thanksgiving period last year.
A4A expects 2.8 million people to fly per day, and with U.S airlines offering 45,000 more seats daily than they did in 2024, with the busiest days expected to be 30 November and 1 December.
“We’re all looking forward to going home for the holidays. Our carriers have been working to fully prepare for what’s expected to be a record-breaking Thanksgiving,” A4A president and CEO, Chris Sununu, said.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said this Thanksgiving holiday period is expected to be the busiest in 15 years and is ready to get more than 360,000 flights to their destination.
The FAA expects 52,185 flights on November 25.
This comes after the over 40-day U.S. government shutdown caused increased flight delays and cancellations due to a shortage of air traffic controllers.
Following the shutdown, the Bank of America estimated network airlines could see an income hit of US$150 million to US$200 million, and smaller carriers could see a smaller impact of US$100 million.
United Airlines said bookings for international trips were up 10% from last year, with Cancun, Mexico and major European hubs being top destinations.
Overall, United expects to fly 6.6 million customers between 20 November and 2 December, up more than 4% from last year.
American Airlines said it plans to run 80,759 flights between 20 November and 2 December.
The industry is now pushing lawmakers to pass legislation to ensure air traffic controllers are paid in the case of a shutdown after executives complained that air travel became a political bargaining chip.
According to the AAA, 90% of Thanksgiving travellers are expected to travel by car.
