What we're covering
• America travels for the holiday: This year’s Thanksgiving travel period is expected to be the busiest in 15 years, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. At least 73 million Americans are expected to hit the road and another 6 million are set to fly ahead of Thanksgiving, according to estimates from AAA.
• Atlanta airport: The air traffic control tower at Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson International Airport was temporarily evacuated due to severe weather. A ground stop has been lifted.
• A look at the forecast: A potent winter storm will impact pre-Thanksgiving travel for much of the northern tier of the US Tuesday and Wednesday. More than 10 million people in at least 9 states from Montana to New York have winter alerts posted for the storm system.
• Expert advice: CNN correspondent Pete Muntean is joining our live coverage with updates. You can follow his reports under the CNN Guide tab above.
Here's your late morning look at how the airports are doing today
As people brace themselves for stressful travel days home, with warnings of packed airports and post-shutdown anxiety still lingering, here is where things actually stand.
As of 11:00 a.m. ET, just more than 50 flights within, into, or out of the United States have been canceled, while more than 1,600 flights have been delayed, according to Flight Aware.
Many of the delays are a result of rough weather conditions making their way through parts of the country this morning. A fifth of Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport’s outgoing flights are currently delayed, as the airport recovers from severe thunderstorm warnings that led to a brief evacuation of their air traffic control tower, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
As a storm moves through the Pacific Northwest today, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport has canceled eight outgoing flights so far this morning, the most in the US.
This will be the busiest Thanksgiving travel period in 15 years, according to the FAA
This year’s Thanksgiving travel period is expected to be the busiest in 15 years, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
More than 52,000 flights are expected today ahead of the holiday on Thursday. The next busiest day will be Sunday, November 30, when travelers are presumably leaving their holiday gatherings.
“Thanks to the dedication of our air traffic controllers and every FAA employee, we are ready for the holiday rush and take pride in helping travelers reach their friends and families during this important time of year,” FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said last week.
AAA predicts more than 81 million people to travel at least 50 miles from home during November 25 to December 1. That’s up 1.6 million compared to last year.
Planning your "what I'm grateful for" speech for the Thanksgiving table? Take inspiration from these students
As people around the country prepare to travel to see their loved ones and take a moment to give thanks this holiday weekend, here’s a heartwarming story from a school in Ohio, where an administrator put a hot mic in their hallway, along with a sign that read: “Tell us something good that happened today.”
The results surprised Adam Marcum, communications director of Monroe Local Schools said.
“And I said, ‘You know what’s stopping us from bringing an open mic into the … school building and letting our kids share what’s really on their minds?” he said.
The results were varied and sweet. “I finally got a girlfriend today,” one student said, while another said she’s grateful that the relationship with her mother is improving.
“By and large, the kids had really profound things to share. And they were really honest and vulnerable. We’ve just been so impressed and proud of them for that,” Marcum said.
Take a look at what some of the students had to say:
Potent winter storm to snarl Thanksgiving travel across the Midwest and Great Lakes
A potent winter storm will impact pre-Thanksgiving travel for much of the northern tier of the US today and tomorrow.
More than 10 million people in at least nine states from Montana to New York have winter alerts posted for the storm system.
Upper Midwest: Cold rain will change over to snow across the Upper Midwest later today as the storm cranks into gear.
The heaviest snow will fall from the eastern Dakotas through northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, with totals expected to climb over one foot in some locations.
Rain will change over to snow late this evening in Minneapolis-St.
Paul, where 4 to 8 inches of snow will pile up by tomorrow morning. It will be the Twin Cities’ first accumulating snowfall of the season.
Great Lakes: Much of the eastern Great Lakes will see poor travel conditions because of the winter storm on Wednesday. Rain in the eastern Great Lakes will change over to lake-effect snow by late Wednesday and continue through Thanksgiving.
Ohio Valley: Rain can be expected for those traveling across the Ohio Valley on Tuesday as a separate storm system that brought severe weather to the South on Monday pushes north and east. Thankfully, the storms will have lost much of their intensity and will just bring some nuisance wet weather to Ohio Valley and Appalachia.
Northeast: Rain and low clouds could impact air travel across the busy Northeast airports starting Tuesday afternoon and evening with a few issues lingering into Wednesday morning.
The West: The next storm system moving into the area will bring a steady, cold rain to Seattle and Portland, Oregon, today that will last into tomorrow, but the rest of the West Coast looks to stay clear of any weather-related travel disruptions.
The transportation secretary wants you to ditch your pajamas while flying
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy suggests travelers dress more formally and follow common courtesy guidelines as part of the Trump administration’s “Civility Campaign” ahead of the busy holiday travel season.
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy suggests travelers dress more formally and follow common courtesy guidelines as part of the Trump administration's "Civility Campaign" ahead of the busy holiday travel season.
👋 It’s Pete Muntean, back again with an important update out of Atlanta.
The air traffic control tower at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport was briefly evacuated Tuesday morning due to severe weather, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
“The tower is evacuating and going down to minimal staffing due to a possible tornado over the airport,” a controller told pilots waiting to take off in audio recorded by LiveATC.net.
The FAA stopped departures from Atlanta and kept planes going there from taking off while the weather moved through the area.
An FAA alert to pilots reads that thunderstorms and high winds are in the area with gusts reported up to 37 mph. No damage was reported and controllers were able to return to the tower by 8:55 a.m. ET.
The airport is the largest hub for Delta Air Lines and among the busiest in the world when it comes to passenger volume.
This post has been updated to reflect that the tower has reopened.
Here are the best times to travel by car, according to AAA
The best time to travel during the holiday weekend is either early in the morning or on Thanksgiving Day, according to AAA.
Here’s a breakdown best times to travel over the next week:
- Today, before 12 p.m.
- Tomorrow, before 11 a.m.
- Thanksgiving Day (Minimal travel impact expected)
- Friday, before 11 a.m.
- Saturday, before 10 a.m.
- Sunday, before 11 a.m.
- Monday, after 8 p.m.
👋 Hi, Pete Muntean here.
If you haven’t flown this year, your driver’s license might not be your ticket to get through Transportation Security Administration.
This is the first Thanksgiving since the TSA started requiring driver’s licenses to be “real ID compliant.”
Driver’s licenses must meet certain federal rules to be used at a TSA checkpoint. Look for a star or a flag in the upper right corner, or check with your state DMV for the symbol they use. IDs that say “not for federal use” will not work at TSA checkpoints.
Passports and some other IDs are still accepted.
If you don’t have one of those IDs or a real-ID license, you can still fly, but you might be subject to extra security screening that could slow things down.
The TSA is considering charging people without real ID $18 to go through airport security, but that has not yet happened.
Ground stop issued at Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport
As weather continues to impact air travel in the Southeast, low ceilings in Houston, Texas have also prompted a ground stop at George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
The ground stop is in place until at least 9:00 a.m. ET.
Incoming line of severe storms prompts ground stop at Atlanta airport on busy travel morning
A line of strong to severe thunderstorms racing east at 50 mph is encroaching on the western Atlanta suburbs, prompting a ground stop at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport on what is expected to be the busiest travel day ahead of Thanksgiving.
A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued that covers all of the Atlanta perimeter plus many suburbs, including the airport, until 8:45 a.m. ET.
The warning calls for thunderstorm wind gusts up to 60 mph, which can cause damage to roofs, siding and trees.
The line of storms is about 25 miles from the airport as of 8 a.m.
ET and the ground stop is in place until at least 8:45 a.m. ET.
Here's how to avoid getting sick while flying, according to experts
No one wants to be sick over the holidays, but while weaving through crowds at the airport and sitting in close proximity with other passengers on board an airplane, it can almost feel like an inevitability.
Florida-based flight attendant Hunter Smith-Lihas, who works as a flight attendant on a major US airline, says it’s worth remembering that airplanes are cleaned between flights, and airplane air filters are designed to help combat germs spreading.
But when Smith-Lihas is traveling, he still chooses to wipe down his airplane seat and tray table. Some airlines provide passengers with a sanitizing wipe, and you might as well make use of that, he says.
To prevent sickness while traveling, the CDC recommends washing your hands often with soap and running water, especially after coughing or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
An additional measure to further protect yourself and others would be wearing a mask while you travel, the CDC notes.
And another tip when you’re on the plane: You know that little nozzle above your seat that regulates air? Turn that on. That’s going to cause some turbulent airflow in front of you and possibly break up any clouds of virus, CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta says.
A temperature drop is on the menu this Thanksgiving
A blast of Arctic air is set to sweep across the country just as family and friends take to the roads and skies to gather for Thanksgiving.
Temperatures will run 10 to 25 degrees below average for much of the central and eastern US by Thursday. Highs in the 20s and 30s are expected across the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes on Thanksgiving, and even some Southern cities will wake up to a frost or freeze by Friday morning.
Blustery winds will accompany the temperature change, making it feel even colder.
In Chicago, gusts up to 35 mph will make highs in the 30s feel more like the 20s. Leftovers in your refrigerator might be warmer than some of your holiday guests on their way home.
Lake-effect snow is possible in parts of the Great Lakes on Wednesday and Thursday as cold air moves over the warmer lake water. Narrow snow bands could make localized travel tricky where they set up.
Farther south, temperatures won’t be quite as brutal but will still grab attention. Highs in the 50s will stretch from northern Texas through the Tennessee Valley and Carolinas.
New York City will see temperatures drop into the 40s late Wednesday with gusty northwest winds sticking around through Thanksgiving morning. Blustery conditions will make crowds shiver at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, where wind chill temperatures will stay in the 30s. Gusts could reach 20 to 30 mph at times. That’s below the threshold for grounding the big character balloons, but handlers may need to keep a tighter grip.
👋 Hi readers, my name is Pete Muntean. I cover aviation and transportation as well as general assignment stories for CNN. Here’s my bio.
This is going to be one of the busiest travel weeks of the year, so I’m here to help you navigate the news we’re covering.
The past two months have been dominated by the air traffic problems caused by the government shutdown.
But it’s looking good for this week. Although thousands of flights were canceled and delayed as air traffic controllers had to work without pay, officials say air travel has recovered.
So good luck to all those out there traveling today and tomorrow.
I’ll be back soon with more updates.
Nearly 82 million Americans expected to travel over the Thanksgiving holiday, AAA says
AAA is projecting that approximately 81.8 million Americans are expected to travel over this year’s Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
The 2025 domestic travel forecast is up 1.6 million from last year, which is a “new overall record,” according to AAA.
Here’s a breakdown of which mode of transportation travels will use:
- By car: About 90% of people will be traveling by car; that’s at least 73 million. AAA reports that the number could end up being higher if flight cancellations lead to people driving instead.
- By air: According to AAA, 6 million U.S. travelers are expected to take domestic flights over the Thanksgiving holiday period, a 2% increase compared to 2024. That figure could end up being slightly lower as some air travelers make other plans following recent flight cancellations.
- By other modes of transportation: Travel by other means “is expected to increase by 8.5% to nearly 2.5 million people,” AAA said. Those modes include, bus, train, and cruise.
