Want to avoid holiday crowds at CLT? Flying on Thanksgiving Day might be your best bet
Charlotte Douglas International Airport will be one of the busiest airports in the U.S. for Thanksgiving travel.
More than 822,000 passengers are expected to travel through Charlotte by air, according to a news release from the airport.
With more travelers expected to flood the airport, many may plan arrival times to beat the passenger rush and make flights on time.
Surprisingly, the best day to travel is Thanksgiving Day itself, according to a report from NerdWallet, a personal finance website.
Booking the first flight out on Thanksgiving can also reduce your chances of a delayed flight, according to NerdWallet.
Flying the day after Thanksgiving -- the third-least crowded day at airports during the holiday week-- can help you escape crowds at the gate and save money.
On average, Black Friday ticket prices cost $175 less than those booked for the following Saturday or Sunday, according to Hopper.
The five least-crowded days to travel for Thanksgiving, according to the report included Thanksgiving Day, Black Friday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and even the Saturday before Thanksgiving.
The report also found that the worst day for air travel around the holiday is the Sunday after Thanksgiving. In 2019 and 2021, it was the busiest day of the year in airports, according to Transportation Security Administration data. Airports were not as crowded in 2020 due to pandemic-related travel restrictions.
Here are the five most-crowded days to travel for Thanksgiving, according to the Hopper report:
Sunday after
Wednesday before
Saturday after
Friday before
Cyber Monday
How much will Thanksgiving airfare travel cost?
Data show that Thanksgiving airfare rates have gone up quite a bit since last year. Traveling during the busiest days at airports can be especially pricey.
The average domestic round-trip ticket for trips beginning between Nov. 20-24 is $350, up 43% from 2021, according to Hopper.
Domestic airfare for round-trip flights returning on the Sunday after Thanksgiving – the busiest day of the year around Thanksgiving – cost $528, on average, according to Hopper.
This story was originally published November 16, 2022 at 4:31 PM.
