Travelers heading home after the Thanksgiving holiday set a record on Sunday, as airport officers screened more than 3 million people. The Transportation Security Administration reported that it handled 3.09 million travelers, surpassing the previous record by approximately 74,000. This new record was achieved on July 7, which also fell on a Sunday following a holiday.
Despite the high number of travelers, hundreds of thousands experienced delays or flight cancellations. Airlines canceled around 120 U.S. flights, a figure that is not considered unusually high. Additionally, over 6,800 flights faced delays, as reported by FlightAware. The airports with the most significant number of delays were Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Chicago's O'Hare International Airport.
Leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday, the TSA had anticipated a 6% increase in air travel compared to the same period in the previous year. This projection aligns with the trend of record-breaking travel seen throughout 2024.
