The Sunday and Monday after Thanksgiving, Nov. 29 and 30, are expected to be the busiest days for U.S. airline travel over the holiday. If you can move your return, Monday is worth pricing alongside Sunday. Airlines expect heavy traffic on both days, but fare data collected this fall showed a sizable difference in what travelers might pay.
Airlines for America expects U.S. carriers to fly nearly 29 million passengers from Friday, Nov. 20, through Monday, Nov. 30. The trade group says airlines are offering about 38,000 more seats per day on average than during last year’s holiday period. The projection is for airlines across the country. Your airport’s busiest hours can differ from the national pattern.
American Airlines plans 7,021 flights on Sunday, Nov. 29, its largest single flying day since the pandemic. Its holiday schedule covers Nov. 19 through Dec. 1 and includes about 85,000 flights across American and its regional partners. That's a different date range from the trade group’s passenger forecast.
What a different return date could save
Hopper’s Sept. 25 fare analysis put the average domestic round trip returning Sunday at $604, compared with about $350 for Monday or Tuesday, Dec. 1. It put a Black Friday return, Nov. 27, at about $420. Those are round-trip amounts from a fall snapshot. Check your own route for current prices before changing a ticket.
The Sunday-to-Monday gap in that snapshot was about $254 per traveler. Compare the price difference on the whole booking with what an extra night, another day of parking or car rental, or a different airport would cost. When the fare comparison shows an early Monday departure or a late Sunday arrival, make sure the airport trip still works at that hour. Price the same number of bags and the same fare class on each itinerary so a cheaper fare does not hide a charge you would pay later.
If you already have a reservation, pull up the airline’s quote for changing the existing booking before buying a second ticket. Even a ticket with no change fee can carry a fare difference. Check whether a new itinerary leaves enough time to change terminals during a connection and when the next flight on that route leaves. Those details matter if a missed connection would leave you waiting overnight.
If the airline cancels or changes your flight
The U.S. Department of Transportation says passengers are entitled to a refund if the airline cancels the flight or makes a qualifying change and they decide against traveling or accepting a credit or other compensation. An arrival at least three hours later on a domestic itinerary is one qualifying change. If you decide on your own to switch an unchanged flight, the terms of your ticket determine what it costs.
If you bought through a travel agency or booking site, look at who charged you. DOT says the merchant of record, whether that is the airline or the agent, is responsible for refunding the fare when a refund is due.
Getting through the airport on a peak day
Check the departure airport’s security and bag-drop guidance before traveling. TSA’s travel checklist recommends building in time for screening and having your ID and boarding pass ready. Denver International Airport, for example, posts real-time wait estimates for its two checkpoints and recommends arriving at least two hours before departure. If another airport is within reach, compare the door-to-gate time there, including the drive or train, parking and time from the terminal entrance to your gate.
Amtrak is adding Thanksgiving trains and seats on selected routes, including extra Washington-to-New York trips on Nov. 28 and 29. That gives travelers between the two cities another schedule to price on the peak Sunday. Compare station-to-station times with the entire air trip, including airport travel and screening.
