Get Ready for Thanksgiving Gridlock

Nov. 19, 2006 — -- Across America, there are signs that Thanksgiving is near.

Leaves are turning color and falling, there's a nip in the air -- and airports are more packed than ever. It's time once again for one of the busiest travel times of the year as people are racing to Thanksgiving dinners in trains, planes, and automobiles.

"We think we're going to have probably some of the largest numbers of travelers ever to travel on the Thanksgiving holiday," said Mantill Williams of the American Automobile Association.

Approximately 4.8 million people are expected to fly to a Thanksgiving destination. Tuesday will be one of the year's 10 busiest days at train stations, where Amtrak is preparing for 600,000 riders. But according to Williams, nothing comes close to the amount of traffic anticipated for the road.

"The busiest travel days tend to be on Wednesday in terms of going by car. People tend to leave Wednesday afternoon and they come back Sunday evening," he said.

About 31.7 million people are expected to flood the highways, more than last year when a gallon of gas was 9 cents more expensive.

Gridlock on the expressways may be paralleled by jams at airport security checkpoints. This is the first major holiday with new government rules on carrying on liquids, gels and aerosols are in place.

"We want to keep the lines moving and if folks are prepared coming to the airport, that helps us make the whole process work smoothly," said Kip Hawley of the Transportation Security Administration.

Hawley explained how travelers should pack carry-on items.

"You can bring your liquids if it's in containers of three ounces or less, and you put those in a one quart Ziploc bag and then put that baggie in the bin along with your shoes," he said.

Officials hope that the more travelers follow carry-on guidelines, the happier the coming holidays will be.

For more information on what's allowed onboard planes, click here. For information on airport delays, click here.