iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — Buckle up –- it’s going to be a busy holiday travel season.
Around 25.3 million passengers are expected to hitch a ride on U.S. airlines during the 12-day travel period surrounding Thanksgiving -– the highest number since the Great Recession in 2008, according to airline industry trade group Airlines 4 America.
That’s 1.4 to 2.7 million passengers clogging airports daily from Friday, Nov. 20 through Tuesday, Dec. 1.
This year’s projections mark an 800,000-person increase over last year’s estimated 24.5 million airline passengers, the group says, with an additional 65,000+ people boarding flights each day.
Carriers are adding seats to deal with the surge, A4A says.
Of course, Turkey Day itself is likely to be the least headache-inducing day for travel. Thursday, Nov. 26 will see the fewest passengers, the group projects, while traffic on Sunday, Nov. 29 will be particularly busy.
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