Thanksgiving consistently marks one of the busiest times for US aviation, and 2024 is no exception. Families and friends from across the country and around the globe take to the skies to reunite during this festive period.
OAG examined airline capacity data from November 23–27, highlighting the busiest airlines, key source countries for international travelers, and top cities for arrivals during this peak season.
Airline Capacity Highlights
As anticipated, the “Big Four” US airlines dominate during the Thanksgiving rush:
- American Airlines led the race, offering 3.6 million seats over the five days.
- Southwest Airlines followed closely with 3.3 million seats.
- Delta Air Lines secured the third spot with 3.2 million seats.
- United Airlines rounded off the top four with 2.7 million seats.
- Alaska Airlines took the fifth place, offerin around 800,000 seats.
Top Source Countries for Visitors to the US
Unsurprisingly, international visitors to the US also surged during Thanksgiving, with the top five countries accounting for significant capacity:
- Mexico: 374,869 seats
- Canada: 239,486 seats
- United Kingdom: 148,118 seats
- Puerto Rico: 108,025 seats
- Germany: 77,252 seats
Top Destinations for Thanksgiving Travelers
Major US cities saw a boost in arrivals ahead of Thanksgiving:
- New York City tops the list with 1.2 million seats scheduled.
- Atlanta comes in second with 919,676 seats, supported by its position as home to the world’s busiest airport, Hartsfield-Jackson.
- Dallas ranks third, just behind Atlanta.
- Chicago claims fourth place with 820,368 seats.
- Los Angeles rounds out the top five with 705,902 seats.
Interestingly, these same cities also dominate departure volumes in the three days following Thanksgiving.
