Lead: On Nov. 25, 2025, holiday travel across the United States began amid heavy passenger volumes, winter storms in the northern tier and localized air-traffic disruptions. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) forecasts put today’s traffic at roughly 52,000 flights and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) expects about 2.7 million passenger screenings. Weather systems from Montana to New York prompted winter alerts for more than 10 million people, while hubs such as Atlanta and Houston experienced temporary ground stops and tower evacuations. The combination of high demand, storm impacts and lingering operational strains has produced delays, cancellations and guidance for travelers planning their peak-day movements.
Key takeaways
- FAA predicts about 52,000 flights in the United States today as the Thanksgiving travel period begins; Sunday, Nov. 30, is expected to be the single busiest travel day of the holiday window.
- TSA expects around 2.7 million passenger screenings today and projects over 3 million screenings on Sunday at checkpoints nationwide.
- Flight tracking service FlightAware reported just over 50 cancellations and more than 1,600 delays as of 11:00 a.m. ET on Nov. 25, 2025, with many disruptions tied to weather.
- AAA forecasts roughly 81.8 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles between Nov. 25 and Dec. 1, 2025 — up about 1.6 million from last year; about 90% will travel by car.
- Severe weather affected multiple hubs: Atlanta’s air-traffic tower was briefly evacuated and departures were paused; a ground stop at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport was in effect until at least 9:00 a.m. ET.
- Winter storm warnings cover parts of at least nine states; localized snowfall totals could exceed one foot in some Upper Midwest and Great Lakes locations.
- This is the first Thanksgiving since the TSA began requiring Real ID–compliant driver’s licenses for routine checkpoint use; travelers lacking compliant ID may face additional screening.
Background
The Thanksgiving travel surge is the culmination of routinely high seasonal demand and the rebound in mobility after the pandemic-era downturn. This year’s peak coincides with several operational stressors: active winter storms across the northern United States, severe thunderstorms in the Southeast, and residual workforce strain following recent federal staffing tensions that disrupted air-traffic operations earlier in the fall. Federal agencies including the FAA and TSA have emphasized preparedness: the FAA has highlighted controller staffing and surge planning while TSA has reiterated security and ID requirements that took effect this year.
Holiday travel patterns are dominated by automobiles, but even modest growth in air travel matters because concentrated pressure at major hubs can ripple through the network. AAA’s forecast — now a new overall record in projected travelers — drives planning by airports and carriers, which schedule extra staff and contingency resources. Historically, weather and single-hub outages (control-tower issues, ground stops) produce outsized delay cascades, so officials and carriers monitor both meteorology and air-traffic flow in real time during this window.
Main event
By midmorning on Nov. 25, FlightAware data showed more than 1,600 delayed flights and just over 50 cancellations nationwide; many of those were linked to weather systems moving through the Pacific Northwest, the Upper Midwest and parts of the Southeast. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport recorded eight outgoing cancellations early in the day, the highest single-airport cancellation count in the U.S. at that moment. Carriers adjusted departures and ground operations as conditions evolved.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, one of the world’s busiest hubs and Delta Air Lines’ primary gateway, faced a brief tower evacuation after controllers reported a possible tornado in the vicinity. The FAA paused departures while controllers moved to minimum staffing; gusts reported to pilots reached as high as 37 mph in initial audio and subsequent warnings listed gusts up to 60 mph for some suburbs. The tower returned to normal operations by 8:55 a.m. ET with no damage reported.
In Houston, a ground stop at George Bush Intercontinental Airport was implemented as low ceilings and thunderstorms passed through, with the hold in place until at least 9:00 a.m. ET. Elsewhere, the northern storm system produced rain changing over to snow across the Upper Midwest, with parts of the eastern Dakotas through northern Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula facing the heaviest accumulations — locally exceeding one foot and generating hazardous travel conditions.
On the security front, TSA screening volumes climbed as passengers queued for checkpoints; local checkpoint wait snapshots varied widely. Reporters at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport recorded TSA PreCheck times of roughly seven to eight minutes at one terminal this morning. TSA has also requested traveler cooperation on behavior and ID compliance amid its broader civility messaging to reduce incidents in terminals.
Analysis & implications
The confluence of heavy demand and weather hazards amplifies delay risk: when a major hub reduces departures to weather or staffing constraints, the network-wide knock-on effects can extend for many hours due to aircraft and crew scheduling links. Airlines typically hold extra crews and reposition aircraft ahead of holiday peaks, but unexpected weather and localized outages shorten recovery windows and increase cost exposure through delays, rebooking and accommodation obligations.
Shifts in traveler mode choice could intensify road volumes. AAA’s projection that roughly 90% of holiday travelers will drive implies higher congestion on interstates and at fuel stations; if some air travelers switch to driving after cancellations, surface traffic could rise further, raising accident and delay risk on key corridors. For employers, concentrated travel disruptions around peak commuting days may affect staffing and logistics for time-sensitive businesses.
Policy and operational implications include renewed focus on ID enforcement and passenger processing throughput. The Real ID requirement may create bottlenecks for the subset of travelers whose licenses are not compliant, especially at smaller terminals with limited staffing. Separately, the FAA and carriers face scrutiny over contingency planning and real-time communication; improving resilience in the air-traffic system remains a priority for regulators and industry alike.
Comparison & data
| Metric | Value (Nov. 25, 2025) |
|---|---|
| FAA expected flights (US, today) | ~52,000 |
| TSA expected screenings (today) | ~2.7 million |
| FlightAware reported cancellations | Just over 50 (as of 11:00 a.m. ET) |
| FlightAware reported delays | More than 1,600 (as of 11:00 a.m. ET) |
| AAA projected holiday travelers | ~81.8 million (Nov. 25–Dec. 1) |
The table above distills the principal operational and demand figures cited by federal agencies and travel analysts. These snapshots are live indicators: cancellations and delays shift hour by hour, and projected traveler counts represent an estimate for the full Thanksgiving window rather than a single-day headcount.
Reactions & quotes
“Thanks to the dedication of our air traffic controllers and every FAA employee, we are ready for the holiday rush,”
Bryan Bedford, FAA Administrator (official statement)
Bedford’s comment highlights agency readiness messaging; FAA officials emphasize controller staffing strategies even as weather tests operations.
“Dressing with courtesy can help ease tensions in terminals,”
Sean Duffy, U.S. Transportation Secretary (administration statement)
The transportation secretary’s remarks accompanied the administration’s broader civility guidance for travelers, urging respectful conduct and modest wardrobe choices to reduce gate-area friction.
“The kids had really profound things to share,”
Adam Marcum, Monroe Local Schools communications director (local report)
Local voices contributed lighter, community-focused coverage amid the travel rush, underscoring seasonal human-interest elements alongside operational reporting.
Unconfirmed
- The proposal for an $18 TSA fee for non-Real-ID travelers has been discussed publicly but has not been formally adopted or implemented.
- Cancellations and delay tallies are evolving; figures reported midmorning (50+ cancellations, 1,600+ delays) may undercount later impacts as storms and recovery operations unfold.
- Initial pilot audio referenced a “possible tornado” near Atlanta; while the tower evacuated briefly and reopened with no damage reported, some local severe-weather reports remain under verification.
Bottom line
Travelers should plan for a busy holiday window: early-morning departures and Thanksgiving Day itself are statistically the least impacted travel times, while Tuesday and Wednesday remain vulnerable to weather-driven delays. Check airline and airport status before leaving and build extra time for checkpoints, particularly if your driver’s license is not Real ID–compliant.
Expect the operational picture to change over the next 48 hours as storms progress and airlines adjust schedules. Agencies and carriers will continue to coordinate in real time; prudent travelers will monitor authoritative sources, carry alternate ID, and keep flexible plans for routes and timing.
Sources
- CNN — Live updates: Thanksgiving travel and weather (news)
- Federal Aviation Administration — Holiday operations and advisories (official)
- AAA Newsroom — Thanksgiving travel forecast (industry analysis)
- FlightAware — Live cancellations and delays tracking (flight-data service)
- U.S. Transportation Security Administration — Real ID information (official)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — Travel health guidance (public health)