One of the busiest holiday week's at airports across the U.S. is now underway, including at Minneapolis-St. Paul International.
The Thanksgiving rush has officially begun, and the airport will see passenger traffic really pick up over the next 12 days.
Jeff Lea with the Metropolitan Airports Commission says to guarantee a smoother experience, there are now more ways to get picked up and dropped off.
"One of the things that we rolled out just a few weeks ago for Terminal 1 is the T1 Flex Lane, and that is really an alternate pickup and drop off point," says Lea. "We also have an alternative spot at Terminal 2 for passenger pickup that's called the Terminal 2 Express Lane."
Lea says the worst crowds are expected on the Wednesday before, and the Sunday after Thanksgiving as is normally the case.
Because of the bigger crowds - and increased traffic - Lea says travelers should arrive 2-3 hours early for flights to ease curbside congestion and get through security. Even though the government shutdown is in the rearview mirror, increased travelers still will keep things congested.
"We'll have a peak of about 49,000-plus passengers going through our security checkpoints in that single day," Lea explains. "So, Wednesday before Thanksgiving is the busiest day ahead of the holiday. Sunday is the busiest day after."
Across the U.S. more than 31 million people are expected to fly between now and December 1 to their Thanksgiving destinations. The start of this holiday travel season got off to a pretty smooth one for the airlines.
Most looked at this past Thursday as the beginning. United says this Friday will actually be their busiest day leading up to Thanksgiving, as millions of people are trying to stretch that holiday weekend just a little bit longer, perhaps making it a 10-day vacation.
The airlines are confident they are ready for the rush and believe they will be near or even above record levels. They've added about 45,000 seats this year compared to last year.
Less traffic on the roads?
Fewer Americans plan to hit the road for Thanksgiving this year, even as gas prices remain near the lowest holiday level since the pandemic, according to GasBuddy.
GasBuddy forecasts a national average price of gas of $3.02 per gallon on Thanksgiving Day, matching last year and marking one of the cheapest holiday averages since 2021.
GasBuddy’s 2025 Thanksgiving Travel Survey shows that 60% of Americans plan to take a road trip, a sharp decrease from 72% last year. The decline comes despite stable fuel prices and points to a more home-centered holiday season.
“Gas prices are cooperating this Thanksgiving, but that’s not translating into more travelers,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. “Drivers have grown more resilient to price swings, yet I worry that concerns about a cooling economy may be weighing on Americans’ willingness to travel. Even with affordable gas, economic uncertainty can make people stay closer to home.”
According to the survey, 74% say gas prices have no effect on their Thanksgiving travel plans, up from roughly 56% last year. Among those traveling, patterns remain familiar:
56% will cross at least one state line. 66% expect to drive more than 100 miles. And most plan to leave early to mid-morning on Wednesday, November 26.
“Even with fewer people on the road, it pays to compare prices before filling up,” added De Haan. “Crossing a state line can mean a 10–25 cent jump in prices, and in rare cases, differences of up to a dollar per gallon. Tools like GasBuddy and Pay with GasBuddy+ can make a meaningful difference on longer trips.”