Airports and roads are expected to be crowded this Thanksgiving season, as millions of people travel to and from the Bay Area.
While regional flight hubs are preparing for an influx of Thanksgiving passengers, the number of people flying to and from local airports still hasn’t cracked pre-pandemic figures. Meanwhile, millions will be traveling by car, clogging freeways and increasing the threat of traffic collisions.
The American Automobile Association predicted that 71.7 million people nationwide will travel by car during Thanksgiving – a 1.3 million increase compared to last year. That projection tops the 70.6 million who drove home during the same time period in 2019.
AAA predicted that the worst days and times to travel by car before Thanksgiving are Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon, but freeways and highways are expected to be clear on Thanksgiving Day itself. AAA also stated that drivers returning on Sunday should plan to leave early in the morning, and Monday drivers should expect a mix of travelers and work commuters on the road.
In the Bay Area, the Interstate 80 eastbound freeway from San Francisco to Sacramento was expected to be most congested on Nov. 26 around 7:30 p.m., with an estimated travel time of three hours and two minutes.
Traffic moves along the Interstate 80 Highway on Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Berkeley, Calif. Transportation officials expect millions of people will be traveling by car, causing clogged freeways during the holiday season. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group)
Bay Area drivers may also encounter rain during their commutes home. California Highway Patrol sergeant Andrew Barclay told the Bay Area News Group that all CHP offices will monitor ongoing weather patterns and adjust coverage as necessary. He said patrols tend to be busier during stormy weather, not just because of crashes, but also due to localized flooding, debris and people needing assistance on freeway systems.
“We know that almost all the crashes that occur during wet weather are caused by drivers traveling too fast for prevailing conditions, resulting in spin-outs and the inability to stop in time to avoid a crash,” Barclay said.
Barclay advised drivers to prevent crashes by slowing down, increasing their following distance and anticipating additional travel time during storms. He also encouraged people to have their vehicles winter-ready by making sure they have good windshield wipers and sufficient tire tread, and that all external lights on the car are working.
In addition to the tens of millions of drivers on the road, AAA predicted that 5.84 million people in the U.S. will be traveling home by plane for the holiday.
Oakland International Airport reported an expected 340,000 passengers between Nov. 22 and Dec. 1. San Francisco International Airport said it was expecting 6.3 million passengers between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. Although San Jose International Airport didn’t provide any projected passenger figures, a spokesperson said “a busy 2024 holiday season” should be expected.
Oakland International Airport spokeswoman Kaley Skantz said the number of passengers this Thanksgiving season is a slight decrease from last year, which “sort of aligns with what we’ve been seeing last year.” She attributed the decrease to airlines scheduling fewer flights, which she said was expected based on numbers from the past few months.
“Airlines are the ones who schedule flights, so this is a reflection of the schedule being slightly lower,” Skantz said.
Skantz said that Oakland International Airport was not anticipating any significant inconveniences or delays for the holiday, but addressed ongoing renovation for some Terminal 1 restrooms and ticket counters.
“Due to the phased approach that we’re taking with that construction, we don’t expect that to significantly impact passengers,” Skantz said in an email.
San Francisco International Airport spokesman Doug Yakel said the number of passengers traveling over the next couple months for the holidays is an estimated 15% increase from last year.
“We expect this season to be at 97% of pre-pandemic (2019) holiday traffic levels,” Yakel said in an email to Bay Area News Group.
He said the busiest day is expected to be Nov. 24, with about 164,000 total passengers passing through the airport.
To meet the increased number of passengers, Yakel said the airport hosted holiday planning sessions with airlines, the Transportation Security Administration and other organizations to ensure they are staffed to manage the activity.
Travelers wait for their luggage at San Jose Mineta International Airport on Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in San Jose, Calif. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group)
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At San Jose International Airport, around 1 million passengers traveled in and out of the airport in November 2022. The following year, those numbers decreased to around 966,000, reflecting a 6.3% drop in passengers. In 2019, almost 1.3 million passengers used the airport in November. A San Jose International Airport spokesperson said that the airport’s passenger numbers are lower than pre-pandemic years, and attributed it to less airline capacity.
“SJC’s November/December passenger traffic ebbs and flows based on a multitude of factors, including the timing of the Thanksgiving holiday (it is as late as it can be this year), which makes an apples-to-apples comparison challenging when looking at year-to-year data,” a San Jose airport representative said in an email.
The airports advised travelers to arrive early before their departure times — three hours for international flights and two hours for domestic — and check in with their airline before arrival. Airport representatives also encouraged the public to reserve and pay for parking online, with Oakland International Airport and San Jose International Airport offering discounts for parking reservations.
Cars fill one of the parking lots at San Jose Mineta International Airport on Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in San Jose, Calif. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group)