Is Thanksgiving travel really that bad? (hotel, home, airports)
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It is usually not that bad in most areas. Airports can be quite crowded. The main complication is the weather. Due to the time it takes place in late November, there is often snow or frost on the ground in many areas, as well as storm activity.
It is a busy travel day, but it really isn't enough to "seize up the machinery."
Another issue is that normal workday traffic patterns mainly cause traffic jams within cities, while Thanksgiving involves a lot more inter-city travel, and can cause crowding along highways that usually don't see that type of volume.
Yes it can be horrible. My dad used to have dinner thanksgiving eve and I'd have to travel the stretch of I-40 E and I-75 south where they are combined for 20 miles. It was a nightmare! Now we celebrate the Sat after thanksgiving and traffic is not a problem.
Wed afternoon / night is the worst traffic of the whole year.
The wednesday before thanks giving is the busiest travel day of the year.
People are saying to be at the airports 4 hours early if your traveling by airplane this wednesday because protestors are planning to go to the airports that just recently installed the body scanners, its expected to cause major hold ups in the security lines.
I believe thanksgiving is the most traveled holiday of the year. It can be bad especially on that Tuesday and Wednesday night.
You are correct. It's the busiest travel time in the aviation industry, anyway. Oddly, you can often find hotel rooms easily, because so many people are traveling to stay with family.
I guess it's because it's an all-American holiday, not tied to one religion or cultural tradition, so most people celebrate it.
I'm form England and when we have Bank holidays there are usually a lot more cars on the road but there is never a big deal mad about it really :/
However, American websites seem to be all about'Thanksgiving Travel' at the moment,,,is it really that bad???
I am imagining massive cues in and out of the big cities, is that what it is like???
Thanks
The real problem is the airports. We're a much larger country and it's very common to fly home for the holidays. Hardly anyone would fly from London to Manchester. But many people fly from New York to places like Dallas or Minneapolis. It's simply too far to drive. The holiday would be over by time you arrived.
Also, the UK has a much more extensive rail network. Outside of the Northeast corridor (Washington, DC to Boston) it's very difficult to travel by train in the US.
Everyone should have to experience the DC Beltway on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. A real treat!
No thanks, I'll definitely take your word on that!
We traveled back to Ohio for the first time last year on Thanksgiving, had no issues on the way up - left real early Wednesday morning (like 4 AM - always try do that to assure that we get through Charlotte before morning rush hour), however, Sunday coming back was stop & go from I-81 in VA on I-77 to where I-74 splits in NC, took us about 2 hours on a stretch that typically takes 35 minutes or so.
We are staying put this year, and I will not miss that traffic mess! Doesn't hurt that it is supposed to be 75 & sunny Thursday here in Columbia either !
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