Thanksgiving Travelers to Expect Busier Airports
Getting home for the holidays is expected to be harder than ever this Thanksgiving.
According to a forecast by the main trade association for U.S. airlines, travelers can expect busier airports, fuller planes and more expensive tickets than they did last year.
Although there is not as much airline traffic as the peak years of 2006 and 2007, this holiday season marks an upturn. According to Airlines for America, nearly 24 million passengers are expected to fly from Friday Nov. 16, thought Tuesday, No. 27.
Trade groups predict that planes flying during this Thanksgiving holiday will be 90 percent full, a record for the holiday. This growth in travel demand can be attributed to a sluggishly improving unemployment rate and subsequent consumer confidence.
More people mean more packed flights, as the number of planes flying out has been reduced. The rise in demand reflects a rise in prices. Domestic fares are up by 4 percent in comparison with the first few months of 2011, according to the industry group. Cutting flights not only lets the airlines charge more money, but also allows them to save on their biggest expense: fuel.
