Millions of travelers are expected to pass through New York City-area airports and cross the region’s bridges and tunnels during what the Port Authority says will be the busiest Thanksgiving travel period on record.
The agency is projecting 8.8 million people will use its airports and vehicle crossings between Monday, Nov. 24 and Monday, Dec. 1, surpassing the record set last year.
What You Need To Know
Port Authority is estimating 8.8 million travelers will pass through its airports and vehicle crossings
Nationwide, AAA estimates 81.8 million people will travel 50 miles or more for Thanksgiving
Sunday, Nov. 30 is projected to be the busiest day for air travel
That figure includes 3.3 million air travelers at John F. Kennedy International, Newark Liberty International, LaGuardia and New York Stewart International airports, which would surpass the record for air travel set last year. Sunday, Nov. 30 and Monday, Dec. 1 are expected to be the busiest air travel days.
Meanwhile, about 5.5 million vehicles are expected to use the Port Authority’s bridges and tunnels, in line with last year.
To accommodate the rush, the agency will pause all ongoing repairs and construction at its crossings from 5 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 26 through 5 a.m. Monday, Dec. 1. A separate advisory will be issued Dec. 1 for any lane closures or service changes later that week.
However, work on the $19 billion JFK Airport redevelopment will continue. The agency says anyone traveling to the airport by car should “plan ahead for delays or reroutes due to detours or closures of parts of the airport roadway network.”
“Customers are strongly advised to use mass transit to and from the airport, such as MTA New York City Transit subway or buses, or MTA Long Island Rail Road — with 20-minute trains from Grand Central Terminal or Penn Station to the AirTrain JFK station at Jamaica,” the agency said.
Drivers can also use the free drop-off and pickup lot at JFK Airport’s AirTrain station at Lefferts Boulevard, according to the agency.
The agency said travelers are advised to check construction.jfkairport.com for details about construction-related travel impacts.
Air travelers should arrive at least two hours early for domestic flights and three hours early for international flights.
Nationwide, AAA projects 81.8 million people will travel 50 miles or more for Thanksgiving, marking a new all-time high. That includes 73 million drivers, 6 million domestic air passengers and 2.5 million using other modes of transportation, such as buses and trains.
Citing data from INRIX, AAA says the busiest times on the roads will be midday and afternoon hours leading up to the holiday. The worst times to drive include:
Tuesday, Nov. 25: 12 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 26: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 28: 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 29: 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 30: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Monday, Dec. 1: 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Minimal traffic is expected on Thanksgiving Day nationwide, according to AAA. The organization recommends traveling in the morning to avoid the heaviest congestion.