Travel tips for a busy Thanksgiving

AAA expects nearly 2.8 million people to be traveling in Illinois this year.

Photo byImage by Space_Cat/Depositphotos.com

(CHICAGO) If you're traveling this Thanksgiving, whether by car or plane, you can expect it will be busy. Crowds and congestion will be back at nearly pre-pandemic levels.

According to AAA, almost 2.8 million Illinoisians will hit the road or the skies this Thanksgiving.

Busy airports

The city of Chicago estimates 1.8 fliers to pass through O'Hare and Midway International Airports between Tuesday, November 22, and Monday, November 28.

Traffic through Chicago's O'Hare is estimated to be up 2.7% from last year, while Midway will see an increase of 24.1% from the previous year.

“The CDA appreciates the valuable role that O’Hare and Midway play in bringing friends and families together from across the nation and the world to gather at Thanksgiving dinner tables,” CDA Commissioner Jamie L. Rhee said in a statement. “We have no higher priority this holiday season than providing a safe and secure environment for all of our passengers, employees and the entire aviation community.”

Travel tips

Mitch Dudek at the Chicago Sun-Times has some tips to help travelers.

He has the following suggestions.

For drivers

Try to avoid traveling during the most congested times. AAA says this will be between 11 AM and 8 PM on the day before Thanksgiving, and on Thanksgiving Day, between 11 AM and 3 PM.

Tips for flying

• Expect long lines for security check-in and food service.
• Arrive at the airport two hours early.
• Sign up for TSA PreCheck (this means shorter lines and not needing to remove your shoes.)
• Follow the 3-1-1 liquids rule. Don't carry on liquids over 3.4 ounces. (There are exceptions for feeding babies and people with medical needs.)
• Be careful when bringing food through security. Anything liquid, like gravy and wine, should be in your check-on luggage. Solid foods are okay. So feel free to bring that casserole or pie on the plane.

My personal tip: Keep your food and snacks organized in clear plastic zip-lock bags or containers in your luggage. TSA officials will often ask you to remove them to go through the x-ray machines. Who knows what germs are lurking in those plastic bins? I don't want an apple I want to eat later rolling around in a bin where someone just stuck their shoes.

Traveling with kids

Traveling with kids adds a whole new level to travel complications. Be sure to pack a lot of snacks. Bring chargers for tablets and other devices to help keep your kids occupied.

Traveling is one day I never worry about limiting screen time.

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