If you’re anything like me, you want to get in and out of the airport as fast as possible.
Especially during busy holiday travel.
That seems almost impossible since every year millions (yes millions) of people are going through airport security to get to their families during Thanksgiving week.
Which made me wonder – which day is the best to travel for Thanksgiving? Is it a few days before, or should I fly on Thanksgiving day?
If you can make it work with your Thanksgiving dinner schedule, Thanksgiving day is the best day to travel.
We did some digging and found these amazing ways to go about the holiday rush. Plus 22 ways to survive it!
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Thanksgiving Travel Days
My family is scattered throughout the country so every year we rotate where we’re all going to meet up.
Of course, everyone gets in on different days & times, but we never want to be the last to arrive since then we’re missing all the wine fun 😛
But lately I’ve been wondering if it’s really worth it to get there a day or two early. You see, last year Julien and I got stuck in the airport the day before Thanksgiving since our flight was delayed 3-ish hours.
I know you’ve been there…just praying that they don’t announce another delay on top of the flight already being late. And then to add insult to injury, the rental car company ran out of cars. Did you read that?! They literally ran out.
What’s the point of making a reservation?! I could literally see the pumpkin pie slipping away from me 🙁
So we decided to see if there is a better way to go about it. We ultimately decided that flying a few days even earlier, or on the actual day of was something to look into.
Every year over 50 million people travel during the Thanksgiving holiday season – all trying to get home as soon as possible. But most people choose to fly the Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving, leaving plenty of room to get a jump start and travel early, or just bit the bullet and fly the day of.
Of course, that means staying a few days after Thanksgiving, too, to avoid the return chaos.
If you are open to booking a flight for Thanksgiving Day, you’ll probably also save some money since less people will choose to fly on that Thursday. But one way we’ve managed to book cheap flights is by using Skyscanner. We love Skyscanner since they compare flight prices for every day of the month. I just put in my departure and arrival airports and search the entire month.
And voilà! Cheap flights! Just look at the flights we found from London to Ireland for our recent trip!
So if you’re not able to fly on Thanksgiving day, try this instead: Aim to fly out on the Monday before Thanksgiving and ask your boss if you can work remotely the other two days. That way you’ll skip the chaos, but still get to enjoy the Thanksgiving preparations also!
Cooking for Thanksgiving -Travel Tips
One of my favorite parts of the holidays is getting to cook and enjoy the actual process (and of course, eating, too 😛 ) But when you travel on the actual day of, you might miss out on the chance to participate. So if you want to fly on Thanksgiving, but don’t want to miss the holiday meal prep, here are a few things you can do!
- Prepare a dish and take it with you on the plane. Pie, turkey, and a bunch of other items are TSA approved. Just make sure to skip anything non-solid since you might have to dump it before you board
- Book your flight for early in the morning. That way you can get in on time to help cook without dealing with the airport headache
- Send a list of ingredients you need beforehand, and someone can get them for you to save time when you get in
- Offer to set the table & clean up instead of cooking. This way you’ll still be contributing and don’t have to feel guilty
- Bring the wine as your contribution (ps- you can check it in your luggage or have it shipped ahead of time)
- Find a recipe that cooks super fast. You can get in late and still only be a few minutes behind schedule!
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Thanksgiving Day Airport Tips
Julien and I love traveling, but hate the airport chaos any day of the year. This is especially true for holidays. This is how we’ve managed to make it less stressful:
- We pack light to avoid checking in luggage (and we spent hours writing this entire post on how we pack light)
- Always ask the TSA agent which lines are moving fastest – they keep in contact with each other and can usually get you through quicker
- Avoid getting stuck in the security line behind the family with 10 suitcases, 2 kids, and a dog. Look for people in business suits and minimal luggage instead, they are usually more efficient with time
- Don’t drink too much on the plane. You’ll want to be hydrated and ready to go when you land
- Stick to smaller local airports, if possible. They tend to have way less traffic in and out.
Tips for Driving on Thanksgiving Day
I personally have been stuck in Thanksgiving Day traffic multiple times.
You know the kind…
When the highway becomes a parking lot and your family is calling you non-stop because the food is getting cold. Yeah, so much fun.
Because driving is the number one way to get around on the day of, you’re sure to find some traffic, even if you’re only driving a short distance. Remember to leave early and give yourself some extra time. And always keep a backup charger on you for your phone, just in case you do get stuck in traffic.
Since lots of people will be on the road, and rushing to their destinations, it’s so much better to take your time and stay safe.
Driving on this day can be one of the most chaotic and dangerous of the year! So if you plan for some extra time, you’ll be able to reduce your stress levels by bucket loads!
Stress-Reducing Tips
Thanksgiving is one of our favorite times of the year, but we have to admit it gets a little crazy in our house with everyone over. Between all of the airport chaos, horrible traffic on the road, and multiple cooks in the kitchen (literally) it’s no wonder we could use a glass of wine (or 3 😉 )
Even as mental health counselors, it’s easy for Julien and I to get stressed out during the holidays. But the most important thing to remember is that we love celebrating with family. Sounding cliché yet? 😉
But it’s true. The reason we travel across the country and brave the holiday chaos is to spend it with the people who most drive us crazy we love. So from our professional & personal experience, here are a few ways we’ve been able to reduce the stress over the years.
- Understand that everyone has a different personality and you can’t control other people’s reactions. You can only control how you act. Take a deep breath and think twice before reacting to something
- Sometimes the best way to handle criticism is to smile. Take the highroad and just enjoy the holiday.
- Take some “me time.” Whether it’s before the festivities start or after you’ve been with the family for a while, it’s super important to take some time away from the chaos and just breathe for a few minutes.
- Be careful with the alcohol. As tempting as it can be to use wine as a stress-relief tool, don’t do it. If tensions are already high, you might be tempted to say something you usually wouldn’t have after you’ve had the extra drink.
- A white lie might be okay sometimes. If someone asks “Did you like my pumpkin pie?” after they took 3 hours to make it, it’s okay to say yes and just move on. Even (and especially) if it tastes like roadkill.
- Prepare food ahead of time. When everyone is in the kitchen you can relax, or offer to lend a hand.
- Delegate tasks. On holidays family members can be eager to help out. And if they can’t, then they’ll just sit there talking to you when you’re busy trying to get things done. Ask them to set the table, fold the napkins, stir the gravy, etc.
Traveling for Thanksgiving can be rough, especially if you’re coming from out of town.
But I always like to remember the reasons why we do it, and use these tips to make the holiday as amazing as my Pinterest feed 😉
So have a Happy Thanksgiving, and enjoy the holidays!
And don’t forget to subscribe for access to our free travel resource library! It will help you plan your holiday trip like a pro and it only takes 5 seconds!
– Veronica
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