These Are the Only Thanksgiving Travel Tips You Need This Year

Thanksgiving travel is chaos, but it’s a manageable kind of chaos once you know where the landmines are. With a little preparedness, it can actually be fun. Here’s are my tips for seamless travel for Thanksgiving weekend.

Pick Your Day Wisely

If you can wing it, Thanksgiving Day is the quietest day to fly. In 2025, TSA screened about 1.56 million people on the holiday itself, compared with roughly 3.13 million on the Sunday three days later. That Sunday is the one to dodge. According to the numbers, Monday after Thanksgiving is just as bad, while Thanksgiving Day and the Friday after as the calmest. If you have any flexibility, fly out Thursday or come home Friday.

Be the Early Bird

This goes for booking and for showing up at the airport. Thanksgiving rewards the people who get ahead of it. Start with the actual booking itself. If you haven’t locked in your flight, do it today. Fares and seats on the best days tend to go first, and you want your pick of the calmer travel days before they’re gone. Then, when it comes to the time of day you book your flight, get the earliest one you can stomach, since a morning departure leaves you more backup options if something goes wrong later. 

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Carry-on Only, with One Exception

I never check a bag, no matter how long the trip. You save hours at baggage claim and the threat of losing luggage is practically eliminated. (My carry-on guide is here.) Of course, if you’re bringing homemade Thanksgiving dishes along with you, that could change things. Which brings me to my next tip.

Pack the Feast (and the Snacks)

Yes, you can bring Thanksgiving with you. Pies, cakes, cookies, turkey, ham, stuffing, casseroles, and fresh produce can all go through the checkpoint, according to TSA. The rule of thumb is that if you can spray it, spread it, or pump it, it should probably be checked. (I’ve lost everything from honey to Vegemite this way.) Ice packs are allowed, but they must be frozen solid at the checkpoint. Not sure about an item? Text AskTSA at 275872, or use the “What Can I Bring?” feature in the MyTSA app.

Pack something for yourself too. Airport food is expensive, and airlines rarely hand out complimentary meals and snacks on domestic flights these days. If you get hit with delays, you don’t want to add hangry to the list. My go-tos are s’mores trail mix or these peanut butter oat bars. Or any of this season’s Trader Joe’s pumpkin-spiced fall snacks, really. 

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Stay Healthy on the Way

Holiday travel wreaks havoc on your immune system, from the stress of the trip to being around family 24/7. When I touch down, the first thing I do is a gentle yoga session or a quick run. I pack probiotic supplements to keep my gut in order, and an eye mask and earplugs or noise cancelling headphones to keep sleep regular. You can check out this interview with a nurse on her tips to stay healthy here. 

Rebook the Quick Way

Start in the airline’s app, since rebooking there is often faster than the gate line. Then know where you stand. Under the Department of Transportation’s automatic refund rule, you’re owed your money back if your flight is canceled or significantly delayed and you choose not to travel. Airlines must also provide free rebooking for cancellations within their control.