Over 3 million travelers heading home after the Thanksgiving holiday set a new record on Sunday as airport officers screened a total of 3.09 million people, surpassing the previous record by approximately 74,000 travelers. This record-breaking number occurred on July 7, which was also a Sunday after a holiday.
Despite the high volume of travelers, hundreds of thousands experienced delays or flight cancellations. Airlines canceled around 120 U.S. flights, with over 6,800 flights being delayed, according to FlightAware. The most significant delays were reported at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.
Monday also proved to be a busy day, with approximately 80 canceled flights and more than 2,000 delays by midday. Amtrak rail service between Philadelphia and New York was briefly halted on Monday due to damage to overhead electrical wires.
Some travelers faced road delays as well, with traffic at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport coming to a standstill on Sunday evening. The airport advised motorists to avoid one of the main entrance roads and deployed extra police officers to alleviate the congestion.
The Transportation Security Administration had anticipated a 6 percent increase in Thanksgiving week air travel compared to the previous year, continuing the trend of record travel in 2024.
