December 1st is set to be a record-breaking day. For the year 2019, it is set to be America's busiest travel day. Those who are traveling that day should be warned.

December 1, 2019

December 1 might seem like an arbitrary date to expect a large number of passengers. However, this year, December 1st marks the end of the Thanksgiving holiday period. As a result, a significant number of people will bid their relatives and friends adieu and make their way home through American airports.

Full flight
A number of flights will be full as passengers make their way home after the Thanksgiving holiday. Photo: Delta News Hub

Airlines for America has announced in an article that it expects over 31 million passengers to hop on board a flight over the Thanksgiving period. December 1st, however, is going to see the most number of passengers with 3.1 million expected on that day alone. 2.98 million passengers are expected to travel on Wednesday, November 27th. However, Thanksgiving day itself will see only 1.79 million passengers. Compared to last year, the Thanksgiving travel period will see a 3.7% increase in the number of travelers over the period, an extra 859 more flights per day with over 108,000 extra seats per day, and, finally, an additional 93,000 daily passengers.

How can I prepare?

If you are like this author and will be traveling back after the Thanksgiving holiday, the thought of traveling on one of America's busiest travel days can bring on some anxiety and stress. Here are a few tips to making the journey less stressful:

Plan ahead of time for delays. At major airports, congestion from rideshares, taxis, hotel shuttles, and passengers can add extra time to the journey to the airport. Leave earlier than you usually do in order to plan for congestion

Rider
AI will enable Cartrawler to offer passengers the most relevant transportation for them. Photo: Uber

Check your luggage allowance and weigh your luggage ahead of time. One of the most stressful things is to arrive at the airport and find excess or overweight baggage fees. Each airline has a different policy and elite status may also grant you additional baggage rights.

Southwest
Southwest famously allow checked bags. Image: Southwest

Double-check the weather. Some cities will see winter weather which can impact flight operations. It is always good to keep an eye on the forecast and pay attention to any updates from airlines that could include fee waivers. Although, make sure you confirm the update is correct before following through an alternate plan!

Frontier jet landing
Frontier accidentally sent out flight change notifications ahead of the busy Thanksgiving travel season! Photo: Frontier Airlines

Most of all, take some time to enjoy the travel experience. If you are traveling with friends or family, destress with a nice cup of coffee at the airport or planespotting at an observation deck. Moments like these can help erase the stress of going through security or shuffling through the crowds to check-in.

Living the #SkyMilesLife

Do you have any other travel tips for flying on December 1st? Let us know in the comments!