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Air travel crowds for Thanksgiving will be unprecedented, officials warn

Air travel crowds for Thanksgiving will be unprecedented, officials warn
Posted at 11:06 AM, Nov 08, 2018
and last updated 2018-11-08 11:06:56-05

Next week, folks who are traveling can expect really crowded airport lines.

There will be a 7 percent increase in those flying to their Thanksgiving celebrations, the Transportation Security Administration announced.

The Thanksgiving rush at airports will last 10 days beginning Nov. 16 and stretching to Nov. 26.

The Sunday after Thanksgiving is likely going to be the heaviest travel day of 2018, officials said — it is expected to break into TSA's top 10 busiest days ever.

"In the New York metropolitan area, John F. Kennedy International Airport will see the largest volume of passengers and crew coming through the airport checkpoints with more than 100,000 passengers per day expected in the days leading up to Thanksgiving," the TSA announcement said. "At Newark Liberty International Airport, up to 70,000 individuals will be screened daily during the holiday and at LaGuardia Airport, about 48,000 people will go through TSA checkpoints during the Thanksgiving travel period daily," the TSA announcement said.

Officials have offered some tips on dealing with the increase in travelers:
• PREPARE: Be ready when you enter the checkpoint line with your acceptable ID and boarding pass
• ASK: If you have questions about what can go with you, tweet @AskTSA
• MINIMIZE: Carry as little as possible on board to reduce space issues and make it easier to navigate the larger airports
• APPLY FOR PRE-CHECK: Get through lines much faster by taking steps to get cleared for going through the pre-check line instead of regular security. 

Read more about Thanksgiving travel from the TSA here.