Your 7-Day Thanksgiving Travel Countdown

According to recent warnings from the White House, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated: “With the Thanksgiving holiday approaching, we are approaching the busiest travel period of the entire year, when millions of Americans will go to airports to spend time with their loved ones. We fear there will be significant flight delays, disruptions and cancellations in major airports across the country this holiday season.”

Here’s the reality: Airlines have added over 100,000 seats to meet demand, but they’re operating with reduced air traffic control staffing and TSA agents working without pay. Last year, American Airlines alone served 8.3 million passengers during Thanksgiving week. This year’s numbers are expected to break that record.

The good news? You’re reading this newsletter three weeks before Thanksgiving, which means you have time to prepare. The travelers who make it to dinner on time won’t be the lucky ones—they’ll be the prepared ones.

This guide will walk you through exactly what to do this week, what to monitor 1-3 days before you fly, and how to execute your plan on travel day. Bookmark this newsletter and refer back to it as your departure date approaches.

Let’s make sure you get to Grandma’s house for Thanksgiving.

This Week – Monitor Your Flight Like Your Trip Depends on it (because it does)

Thanksgiving week is historically one of the most challenging times to fly—even in normal years. Add the ongoing government shutdown (with air traffic controller shortages and TSA staffing issues) plus unpredictable November weather, and you’re looking at a perfect storm of potential disruptions.

Last weekend alone saw over 8,697 flight delays in a single day, with Southwest Airlines accounting for nearly half of these delays (what the heck, Southwest?). 

As we move into late November, winter weather systems moving across the country will only compound the staffing problems already affecting airports nationwide.

If you’re flying for Thanksgiving, hoping for the best is not a strategy—it’s a gamble.

The good news? You have tools to track exactly what’s happening with your flight and backup options before you ever leave home. Here’s how to become your own travel intelligence agent this week.

What you can do now (20 days out)

1. Verify and upgrade your seat assignments

Log in to your airline account and confirm you have an actual seat assignment—not just a reservation. You may have made your reservations months ago and decided not to pay extra for seat assignments. 

Here’s why you want to change that now: A $20-30 seat fee can save you from getting bumped when flights are oversold during irregular operations. Passengers with confirmed, paid seats get priority over those without seat assignments.

2. Consider changing to an earlier flight

The first flight of the day (typically 6-8 AM departures) is your safest bet. In general, these flights are less likely to be delayed because they haven’t been affected by cascading problems throughout the day. They’re also less likely to be canceled—airlines prioritize getting that first flight out.

If your current flight is mid-afternoon or evening, check if you can switch to an early morning departure. Depending on the ticket you purchased and whether you have airline loyalty, many airlines allow free changes, or the change fee might be worth the peace of mind.

3. Create your plan B

Don’t wait until the day before you’re supposed to leave to have a backup plan. Do this research today while you’re calm and have time to think strategically. Here are some options to consider:

• Look at other flights with your airline to your destination on earlier or later travel days
• Look for flights to nearby airports just in case you need to make day-of changes
• Know where the customer service desks are (sometimes the fastest/best are in the airport lounge!)

If the flight you’re planning to take looks like it will be affected by severe weather, you’ll have options.

Pro tip: Write down the alternative flight numbers and their schedules. If the agent offers you a flight that departs in 12 hours, you can counter with “Flight 1234 departs in 2 hours—can you put me on that instead?”

4. Be ready to watch the weather

Weather is one of the biggest causes of flight delays and cancellations, so keeping an eye on the weather (especially when you have travel plans) is important.

One of my most often referenced and popular articles is ‘How to Check the Weather Before You Travel‘ – take a look!

5. Review and/or buy travel insurance

Pull out your travel insurance policy (if you have one) and review what it covers. Specifically look for:

• Trip delay coverage and how many hours of delay trigger it
• Trip cancellation coverage and what qualifies as a cancellation
• Whether government shutdowns are covered (most standard policies don’t cover this unless you bought “Cancel for Any Reason” coverage before the shutdown was announced)

If you don’t have travel insurance and you’re nervous about your trip, it may be too late to get coverage for shutdown-related issues. However, you can still get coverage for weather delays, medical emergencies, and other unforeseen circumstances.

Set Up Your Flight Monitoring System (1-3 days out)

This is when your preparation shifts from planning to active monitoring. Your flight is now trackable, weather forecasts are more accurate, and you can see real-time patterns emerging across the airline system.

1. Share your flight details

If family or friends are picking you up from the airport, be kind and share your flight info with them. You can do this online ahead of time. Log in to the airline’s website and look for Share your flight details. Here’s a screenshot of what it looks like for American Airlines.

Pro tip: You only have to share the last flight with those picking you up!

2. Download/Setup these apps

If you haven’t already, download these apps now:

a. Your airline’s official app:

• Enable push notifications in the app settings
• Log in with your confirmation number
• Turn on notifications for gate changes, delays, and cancellations
• Make sure your phone number and email are correct in your profile

b. FlightAware app:

• Download from your app store (it’s free)
• You’ll use this to track your specific flight and check the MiseryMap on travel day

When the flights for a particular area, or in a worst-case situation, the entire country, are awful, it’s a sick kind of fun to look at the Misery Map. On the day I was writing this newsletter, there wasn’t too much misery across America, but I’ve seen this covered in red.

Essentially, the Misery Map is a real-time tool that gives you a reality check on the day you travel.

When to check it:

• First thing in the morning on your travel day
• 2-3 hours before you leave for the airport
• While you’re at the airport, if you see delays starting

What to look for:

• Track your flight and see where it’s coming from and whether it’s already delayed
• Check the airports you’re flying out of and see if there are significant delays

What the colors mean:

• Green: On-time performance, minimal delays
• Yellow: Moderate delays (30-60 minutes)
• Orange: Significant delays (1-2 hours)
• Red: Severe delays and cancellations

Thanksgiving travel is always challenging. This year, with the government shutdown compounding normal holiday chaos, it’s going to be even tougher. But you’re not helpless.

One final thought: If the situation looks truly dire as Thanksgiving approaches—if delays are getting worse, weather forecasts are terrible, and the shutdown shows no signs of ending—give yourself permission to change your plans. Driving might take longer, but it’s more reliable. Celebrating Thanksgiving a few days early or late is better than spending the holiday stranded in an airport.

Your mental health and safety matter more than tradition.

Safe travels – may your flights be on time and the overhead bins have space.

P.S. If your flight does get disrupted and you need to request compensation afterward, refer back to our recent newsletter on “How to (Politely) Request Compensation When Parts of Your Trip Aren’t Up to Standards.” You paid for a service—make sure you get what you’re owed.