Thanksgiving travel period in the US begins with a record

Millions of Americans will crowd into airports or hit the road this Wednesday ahead of Thanksgiving Day, which as usual will be one of the busiest days of the year for travelers.

On Tuesday, nearly 2.7 million passengers passed through airport security checkpoints, the highest number for a Tuesday before Thanksgiving and surpassing last year’s record, according to the Transportation Security Administration. of the United States.

The travel industry expects even more travelers on Wednesday and Sunday, December 1.

Industry group Airlines for America anticipates there will be more than 3 million passengers each day, respectively.

According to William Churchill, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center in College Park, Maryland, some travelers could encounter inclement weather as parts of the East and West Coast are under a winter storm warning.

In the Midwest, temperatures as low as 4 degrees are expected during the holidays.

“Overall, not bad for a winter vacation,” he said.

The Federal Aviation Administration said inclement weather and volume cause nearly all flight delays.

About 4,800 flights were delayed in and out of the United States on Tuesday, while 82 flights were canceled, according to tracking website FlightAware.

A record 80 million Americans are expected to travel at least 50 miles for Thanksgiving and cruise companies will see a 20% increase in passengers, according to industry group AAA.

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