Thanksgiving is around the corner, and many of us will be preparing to travel home to spend time with the family during the holiday season. With so many people traveling during this period, it’s important to know which days are best and worst for flying home this year. A recent study conducted by NerdWallet found that November 29, the Sunday after Thanksgiving, is expected to be the busiest day to travel. The research, which analyzed the amount of security check-ins at US airports between 2021 and 2025, also found that Thanksgiving Day itself, November 26, is the least crowded day to travel. According to Kayak, November 23 is expected to be the cheapest day to fly domestically, with average round-trip economy fares of around $420. Fortunately, there are plenty of great options to fly home for Thanksgiving, starting with the Saturday before the holiday, which is November 21. The Monday before Thanksgiving, or November 23, is also a good day to travel, as is the Thursday before the holiday, November 19. If you’re looking to avoid crowds on your return flight, you should consider traveling on December 2 or December 1, which are the least crowded days after Thanksgiving. However, if you’re someone who likes to have a weekend of rest before heading back to work, Friday, November 27, or “Black Friday,” is also a viable option.
