WARWICK, R.I., Nov. 26, 2018 — In an effort to help empower travelers to make more informed decisions when it comes to Thanksgiving 2018 travel plans, Hopper and InsureMyTrip research teams reveal what airports and flights to avoid, the best time to buy, and how the latest data trends can aid travelers when comparing travel insurance benefits.
Summary
The data revealed the following trends for Thanksgiving 2018:
- Busiest day to depart for Thanksgiving: Wednesday, November 21
- Busiest day to return from Thanksgiving: Sunday, November 25
- Top Busiest Airports & Times (local time):
- Atlanta (ATL) – 8:00am
- Los Angeles (LAX) – 7:00am
- Chicago (ORD) – 6:00pm
- Dallas (DFW) – 9:00am
- Denver (DEN) – 10:00am
- New York (JFK) – 6:00pm
The busiest day to depart for the Thanksgiving holiday this year is Wednesday, November 21, while the busiest day to return is Sunday, November 25.
This is the list of the busiest airports for Thanksgiving, based on total departing passengers and volume of scheduled departures:
|
Rank |
Airport |
City |
Scheduled Outbound Passengers |
Busiest Time |
|
1 |
ATL |
Atlanta |
1,263,168 |
8:00 am |
|
2 |
LAX |
Los Angeles |
1,074,752 |
7:00 am |
|
3 |
ORD |
Chicago |
1,057,482 |
6:00 pm |
|
4 |
DFW |
Dallas |
828,891 |
9:00 am |
|
5 |
DEN |
Denver |
787,629 |
10:00 am |
|
6 |
JFK |
New York |
781,953 |
6:00 pm |
|
7 |
SFO |
San Francisco |
714,796 |
12:00 pm |
|
8 |
CLT |
Charlotte |
614,779 |
8:00 am |
|
9 |
MCO |
Orlando |
603,100 |
6:00 am |
|
10 |
SEA |
Seattle |
590,938 |
6:00 am |
|
11 |
LAS |
Las Vegas |
585,395 |
8:00 am |
|
12 |
PHX |
Phoenix |
572,981 |
10:00 am |
|
13 |
EWR |
Newark |
571,303 |
5:00 pm |
|
14 |
IAH |
Houston |
551,436 |
5:00 pm |
|
15 |
MIA |
Miami |
548,175 |
10:00 am |
|
16 |
BOS |
Boston |
509,491 |
6:00 am |
|
17 |
FLL |
Fort Lauderdale |
475,635 |
8:00 am |
|
18 |
DTW |
Detroit |
426,725 |
7:00 am |
|
19 |
MSP |
Minneapolis |
426,900 |
2:00 pm |
|
20 |
LGA |
New York |
393,599 |
10:00 am |
|
21 |
PHL |
Philadelphia |
384,000 |
7:00 am |
|
22 |
BWI |
Baltimore |
365,379 |
7:00 am |
|
23 |
DCA |
Washington, D.C. |
323,566 |
4:00 pm |
|
24 |
SAN |
San Diego |
312,840 |
9:00 am |
The busiest airports for Thanksgiving week, based on the volume of scheduled departures.
While the Thanksgiving travel period is a busy time of year, airlines are improving their on-time performance track records. Last year, airlines reported the lowest percentage of canceled flights, since at least 2009.
|
Year |
Total Flights |
% On Time |
% Delayed |
% Cancelled |
|
2009 |
199,280 |
88% |
12% |
0.40% |
|
2010 |
204,172 |
81% |
18% |
0.83% |
|
2011 |
187,088 |
85% |
14% |
0.74% |
|
2012 |
173,469 |
86% |
13% |
0.57% |
|
2013 |
197,013 |
78% |
21% |
1.29% |
|
2014 |
180,929 |
79% |
20% |
0.87% |
|
2015 |
181,512 |
84% |
15% |
0.93% |
|
2016 |
177,471 |
85% |
15% |
0.25% |
|
2017 |
178,139 |
89% |
11% |
0.20% |
Best Protection For Flight Delays
Based on these data results, travelers can make smarter choices about their travel plans and travel insurance purchases. For example, passengers with departing flights at busier airports are more likely to utilize a travel delay benefit and, therefore, may want to compare travel insurance policies with better delay protection.
“If travelers are made aware of the probability of delays, they can then use that data to help them compare travel delay benefits when considering a travel insurance purchase,” says InsureMyTrip Intelligence Analyst Danny DeMello.
Travel delay benefits vary with each travel insurance provider, generally between a 5 and 12-hour window. The benefit is designed to provide reimbursement for reasonable meals and accommodations while unable to travel.
Tip: Travelers must be delayed for a certain number of hours before this benefit can be applied. When comparing travel insurance, look for the minimum delay time (typically, starting at 5 hours) to start qualifying for coverage as soon as possible.
Best Protection For Delayed Bags
Travelers may also want to ensure baggage delay coverage is included under a selected comprehensive travel insurance plan. Baggage delay coverage generally becomes active after belongings have been delayed for a specified period of time, typically 12 or 24 hours.
Contact:
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About Hopper
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About InsureMyTrip
It’s simple. InsureMyTrip finds you the right travel insurance plan, every time. InsureMyTrip is the authority on travel insurance. We are committed to empowering travelers to make the best possible insurance decisions by leveraging our technology, data intelligence, and expertise.
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