Crowds? Flying the Monday after Thanksgiving

[helenk]

Is the Monday after Thanksgiving a busy travel day?
I will be flying to MCO from Phila on Monday Nov 30th. My flight is not until 6:10 p.m.
Since I will be making arrangements for my ride to and from the airport I was just wondering if the Monday after Thanksgiving is still a busy travel day? I generally get to the airport 1.5 hours to 2 hours prior to my flight. Will 2 hours prior be enough? Should I be there even earlier?

 

[beccasmom]

Well, depending on who you listen to, the Sunday after Thanksgiving is either the busiest or second busiest travel day of the year. Having traveled on the Wednesday before, that is no picnic either. My guess would be that those who have a choice about when to travel would prefer to travel on Monday and avoid the crowds.

So, I think you may still run into some fairly moderate crowds. Personally, I would give myself a smidge more time than usual. But that's just me. I'd rather be safely checked in and waiting at the gate than panicking about not getting there on time.

 

[helenk]

Well, depending on who you listen to, the Sunday after Thanksgiving is either the busiest or second busiest travel day of the year. Having traveled on the Wednesday before, that is no picnic either. My guess would be that those who have a choice about when to travel would prefer to travel on Monday and avoid the crowds.

So, I think you may still run into some fairly moderate crowds. Personally, I would give myself a smidge more time than usual. But that's just me. I'd rather be safely checked in and waiting at the gate than panicking about not getting there on time.

I think that you are right, I'm taking a half day off work any way so I'll give myself extra time. I can always read or watch a DVD sitting in the gate. That will be a lot better than sitting in traffic or worse yet, standing in the TSA line.

 

[dioxide45]

Airline prices don't seem to drop until the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. So I would think Monday will still be fairly busy, probably not as busy as the Sunday, but still busy.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

I've had to fly immediately after Thanksgiving several times in the past. Monday is the first day things aren't packed completely solid, in my experience, but still quite crowded. Above normal, but not insane.

 

[Missytara]

I would think that some people who normally fly each week for work, would leave on Monday morning in lieu of Sunday night, when everyone is returning home for the holidays.

But I would suspect it would be the case more in the early morning hours, not later on in the day.