Thanksgiving 2026 is shaping up to bring a heavy travel rush across U.S. airports. Airlines for America projects nearly 29 million passengers will fly between Nov. 20 and Nov. 30, while American Airlines expects more than 8 million customers across nearly 85,000 flights during its longer Nov. 19 to Dec. 1 operating window.

The two projections cover slightly different dates and come from different sources: the industry estimate is from Airlines for America, while American’s figure covers its own network and regional partners. They are forecasts, not final passenger counts.

When the Thanksgiving 2026 air travel rush is expected

Airlines for America says the busiest days across U.S. carriers are expected to be Sunday, Nov. 29, and Monday, Nov. 30. American’s schedule points to Sunday, Nov. 29 as its largest operating day since the pandemic, with 7,021 flights planned. United has also told ABC News it expects about 600,000 customers to fly that Sunday.

Those airline forecasts indicate a particularly crowded return period after Thanksgiving Day, which falls on Nov. 26. Travelers connecting through major hubs may want to leave extra time between flights and check their airline’s app for schedule or gate changes as departure approaches.

What travelers can do before departure

American advises customers to check in through its app, monitor flight status before leaving for the airport, and allow extra time at busy airports and security checkpoints. Its app can also provide baggage tracking and travel updates. These steps are useful during a high-volume period, but each carrier’s instructions and airport conditions can differ.

The broader capacity picture is not uniform across airlines or routes. Airlines for America says carriers are adding an average of 38,000 seats a day compared with 2025, while also citing record jet-fuel costs and changes such as reduced frequencies on some routes. A larger national schedule therefore does not guarantee more seats or easier connections on every itinerary.

For an airline-specific comparison, see The Globuzz’s report on IAG’s 2026 flight-capacity outlook, which covers a separate set of capacity pressures.

Sources: Airlines for America’s Thanksgiving forecast; American Airlines’ operating plan; ABC News reporting on airline and rail forecasts.