Thanksgiving is approaching, and with it, one of the busiest times of year for air travel.
United States airlines are preparing to fly millions of passengers across tens of thousands of flights during the 13-day Thanksgiving travel period.
American Airlines released its operational projections for Thanksgiving 2026, and the carrier expects to fly more than 8 million passengers between November 19 and December 1.
All told, American plans to operate nearly 85,000 flights, which is a 4% jump compared to Thanksgiving 2025. The jam-packed schedule will average one takeoff every 13 seconds.
The airline’s busiest day will be Sunday, November 29, when the carrier plans to operate 7,021 flights, making it American’s largest operational day since the pandemic.
The carrier says it has spent months preparing for a smooth holiday travel period, with team members taking measures such as fine-tuning schedules and enhancing critical technology.
"Our team is ready for one of the busiest travel periods of the year, and we're focused on delivering a safe, reliable operation so our customers can spend less time thinking about holiday travel and more time enjoying the holiday,” said David Seymour, American’s chief operating officer.
The airline advises passengers to streamline their travel experience by using American’s app to check in and monitor their flight status, track checked bags, and receive real-time flight updates.
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