Record-breaking Thanksgiving travel expected at John Glenn Columbus and on Ohio highways

Bill Bush, Columbus Dispatch

If you plan on traveling through a Columbus airport over the Thanksgiving holiday, or even using an Ohio highway, get in line.

“For many Americans, Thanksgiving and travel go hand in hand, and this holiday, we expect more people on the roads, skies, and seas compared to 2022,” Paula Twidale, Senior Vice President of AAA Travel, said in a written statement.

“Travel demand has been strong all year, and AAA’s Thanksgiving forecast reflects that continued desire to get away and spend time with loved ones,” with an estimated 55.4 million people traveling at least 50 miles from their residences in just the five days between this Wednesday and Sunday.

While 49.1 million will do it by road, another 4.7 million, or about 7% over last year, will take to the skies.

About 210,000 departing airline seats will take off from John Glenn Columbus International Airport or the Rickenbacker Passenger Terminal between November 16-29, according to the Columbus Regional Airport Authority. To put that into perspective, that's more people than if every man, woman and child packed up and left the entire city of Akron - and then the entire city of Chillicothe decided to join them.

That's an average of more than 15,150 airline travelers per day, with up to 17,500 per day - about 15.5% above a normal day - on this Tuesday and the Monday following the holiday weekend, the busiest travel days.

  • Make a parking plan by knowing your options before arriving at an airport.

  • Arrive early, at least 90 minutes before departure for domestic flights and two hours for international.

  • Pack smart: visit TSA.gov to see what you can bring through security.

  • Travel smart: use your airline’s mobile app to check in for your flight, download a mobile boarding pass, and get status updates.

  • Don't clog up the curb: help keep things moving by waiting to pick up passengers, and use free waiting lots.

  • Visit FlyColumbus.com for parking information, shop and restaurant options, and everything else you need to know to prepare for your trip.

If you're driving, the Ohio Department of Transportation says to be prepared to expect delays in construction zones, particularly on: I-75 in Cincinnati, Dayton, and Toledo; I-70/71 in downtown Columbus; I-70 in Zanesville; and several zones in the Akron area.

Drivers should plan ahead by checking OHGO.com for access to 1,000 traffic cameras, real-time alerts, and work zone locations.

Like those flying, "motorists should leave early and allow plenty of time for travel," ODOT says.

And if you think hitting the road early means sneaking out of work a few hours ahead of time on Wednesday, think again - the heaviest traffic in Ohio's major cities is expected on Tuesday, not Wednesday, when traffic is expected to moderate, turning into "light traffic" Thursday through Saturday.

wbush@gannett.com

@ReporterBush

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Hitting the road, skies from Columbus for Thanksgiving? Join the club

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