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If travel seems especially congested around Chicago, that’s because O’Hare is among the busiest airports for Thanksgiving travel this year.
That’s according to Hopper, a travel data hub that shared its Thanksgiving 2021 Travel Outlook earlier this month. The report breaks down the busiest airports over the Thanksgiving holiday as millions of passengers take to the skies each day. Hopper expects Wednesday (November 24) will be the busiest departure day (and the most expensive), and Sunday (November 28) will be the busiest return day. The report also notes a few key travel tips, including to book the first flight out, add a buffer to your travel dates, and reserve a rental car ASAP. These are the Top 10 Busiest Airports for Thanksgiving Travel, according to Hopper:
- Atlanta, GA
- Dallas, TX
- Los Angeles, CA
- Denver, CO
- Miami, FL
- Chicago, IL
- Orlando, FL
- Las Vegas, NV
- New York City, NY
- Phoenix, AZ
Hopper expects that the busiest day and time to travel at O’Hare International Airport is Wednesday at 8 p.m..
For those opting to travel by car, AAA also mapped out the peak congestion dates and times for roadways. That report showed that one Chicago corridor was among the worst for Thanksgiving traffic: I-290 W from Morgan Street to Wolfe Road will experience peak congestion on Wednesday from 2:45 p.m. to 4:45 p.m., reaching 329% above normal levels of traffic, according to AAA.
See the full report from Hopper here.