HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Officials expect a record 2.2 million passengers to pass through Houston airports during this year’s Thanksgiving holiday period, which began Nov. 21 and ends Dec. 2.

Ten of those days are expected to see more than 175,000 daily travelers in total.

Of that number, they anticipate 1.7 million passengers will pass through George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and 500,000 people will pass through William P. Hobby Airport (HOU). This represents an increase of 2% compared to 2023 and 9% compared to 2022.

Experts say the busiest travel day will be Sunday, December 1, with around 206,000 travelers. The second busiest took place on Friday November 22, with 205,000 travelers; the third took place on Sunday November 24, with 200,000 passengers.

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Aixa Diaz, a spokeswoman for AAA, said she notices a national shift when passengers travel during the Thanksgiving holiday.

“Now, more and more people are leaving on Tuesday before Thanksgiving. A lot of schools are closed on Wednesday. So families with children are leaving on Tuesday instead of Wednesday. Then, instead of coming back on Sunday, they come back on Monday because Sunday has always been very bad,” Diaz said.

American, Delta and United Airlines also expect this year to be their busiest travel period for the Thanksgiving holiday.

To help ease traffic jams at Bush Airport, airport officials said they partnered with the Houston Police Department and hired officers from other agencies to help with traffic control. Since November 2023, they said they have also hired 30 additional airport employees to work along the IAH borders.

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An additional lane was also reopened on North Terminal Road at Bush Airport last Wednesday, allowing four lanes of traffic. However, officials said travelers should always anticipate delays and arrive early.

For those still looking to book flights, the fewest passengers are expected for Thanksgiving Day, at 117,000, and Black Friday, at 159,000.

If you plan to park your vehicle at the airport, officials recommend reserving online at least 12 hours in advance to guarantee a spot. You can also download the Houston Airports app to reserve parking and monitor TSA wait times.

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