Air Travel & Thanksgiving: 7 Things You Need to Know

Thanksgiving is coming, and that traditionally means celebrating with family and friends, eating good food, counting one’s blessings and, unfortunately, the potential for travel headaches. Last week, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) held a press briefing at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in anticipation of what is the start of the busiest travel period of the year. Led by TSA Acting Deputy Administrator Patricia Cogswell and accompanied by representatives from Airlines for America, Airports Council International-North America and the American Association of Airport Executives, the discussion ranged from travel forecasts, to tips at security checkpoints to updates on technology that are expected in the upcoming months.

Here are 7 things that travelers need to know:

Record-Breaking Season Predicted. Patricia Cogswell summed things up, stating: “We expect record breaking travel volume this 2019 holiday season, following our busiest summer ever.” While TSA officials screen roughly 2.1 million travelers on an average weekday, they are expecting surges up to 2.8 million on Sunday, December 1st and 2.7 million on Wednesday, November 27th. Cogswell also said the TSA forecasts this will be the busiest Thanksgiving period in its entire history, with 26.8 million travelers passing through security checkpoints nationwide from November 22nd through December 2nd, which would be a 4% increase from last year.

Preparation for Crowds. The TSA, airlines and airports are all working together to focus on preparing for the increase in passenger volume. The TSA is able to monitor where crowds are expected and stands ready to deploy “personnel, canine teams and technology where needed.” Extra staffing will be provided at check-in, security lanes, boarding areas and baggage claims to assist passengers and answer questions. Additionally, airlines will collectively add 859 flights per day, equaling roughly 108,000 seats, in order to accommodate the projected increase in volume.

Packing Smart. The TSA is urging everyone to ‘pack smart’ this holiday season, and to be aware of what is allowed in a carry-on and what must be checked. Particularly when it comes to holiday food (e.g., fresh cranberries are fine in any quantity in a carry on but cranberry sauce must adhere to the ‘3-1-1’ rule) and gifts (leave them unwrapped). It’s easy to get a bit confused. The TSA says the #1 response they get from passengers who have a prohibited item in their carry on is that they didn’t know it was there. So…double check what is in your bags. The TSA has an extensive, printable list that clearly distinguishes what items are allowed and the rules for both checked and carry-on baggage. You can also snap a picture or send a question to AskTSA on Facebook Messenger or Twitter.

Time Management. Whenever you travel, it’s a good idea to give yourself some extra time and that’s certainly the case during the winter holiday season. The TSA recommends getting to the airport 2 hours before domestic flights and 3 hours before international flights, but it’s important to give yourself extra time to get to the airport, park the car and/or take the AirTrain as well. In terms of breezing through security checkpoints, make sure to pack smart, as noted above, and also strategically. For example, travelers need to place all personal electronics larger than a cell phone in bins for X-ray screening in standard lanes, which include laptops, tablets, e-readers and handheld game consoles, so be sure those items are easily accessible.

Trusted Traveler Programs. One of the biggest things you can do to get through checkpoints more quickly is to enroll in a Trusted Traveler program, such as TSA PreCheck, Global Entry and CLEAR. CLEAR uses biometrics and provides accelerated screening in the lanes that check IDs and boarding passes before the security lanes. With TSA PreCheck, you don't have to take off your shoes, jackets or belts as you go through security, and you get to keep your toiletries and laptops in your bag. If flying internationally, Global Entry, which provides an expedited process through customs and includes TSA PreCheck, is the way to go. Every year, Ovation updates an overview and comparison of all the most popular Trusted Traveler Programs for our corporate travel clients; you can download that here.

REAL ID Act Reminder. Every one of the industry representatives that spoke at the briefing emphasized the REAL ID Act and the importance of preparing for its full enforcement, which will occur on October 1st, 2020. Initially passed by Congress in 2005, the REAL ID Act establishes minimum security standards for state-issued driver's licenses and identification cards. In part, this means that ‘regular’ driver’s licenses will no longer be accepted in order to get through airport security checkpoints to board planes at that time. For detailed information about the REAL ID Act, including compliance status for individual states/territories, TSA-accepted IDs and the process for getting a REAL ID compliant license or state ID, please click here.

Coming Soon. There are many new programs and technology rollouts in the works aimed to make airport security quicker and more seamless for travelers. To begin, there may be circumstances at airports where dedicated TSA PreCheck lanes aren’t available sometimes. To solve for this, the TSA has begun introducing ‘blended lanes’ at some airports; although PreCheck travelers still wait with travelers without PreCheck, they retain other benefits, such as keeping shoes and light jackets on. Additionally, airports may roll out credential authentication technology (such as was recently tested at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas), which automatically and securely verifies identity, boarding pass status and TSA PreCheck status by inserting the traveler’s ID into a CAT machine – much quicker than an airport official doing so manually. Airports are also investing in x-ray technology that may allow passengers to keep more items in carry on bags, and also predictive technology that will provide potential wait times at various airport checkpoints.

Finally, as the TSA press briefing reminded, all the various staff members at airports will be working hard this Thanksgiving holiday season to ensure we get to our destinations as seamlessly as possible without mitigating safety and security. And that is something to be thankful for.