Thanksgiving Air Travel: Huge Decrease Expected In Chicago

ILLINOIS — Fewer Americans are traveling due to the coronavirus pandemic, and despite reports of crowds at O'Hare International Airport, Chicago airports were expecting a 60 to 70 percent decrease in passengers over the Thanksgiving holiday.

According to AAA forecasts, the number of Americans traveling for Thanksgiving 2020 will be the lowest it's been in four years, with an expected 50.6 million people traveling between Wednesday and Sunday, compared with 56 million last year. That's a decrease of more than 5 million, or nearly 10 percent, since last year.

In Illinois, AAA expects 2.48 million total travelers, with more than 2.34 million expected to travel by car, but added, "these figures could be even lower as Americans monitor the public health landscape, including rising COVID-19 positive case numbers, renewed quarantine restrictions and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) travel health notices."

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As far as air travel goes, AAA was expecting 2.4 million Americans to take to the skies, compared to 4.58 million last year, a nearly 48 percent decrease. In Illinois, the AAA forecast predicted 122,097 will travel by plane compared with 253,584 in 2019, a more than 50 percent decrease.

Chicago Department of Aviation spokesman Matt McGrath told the Chicago Tribune that pre-Thanksgiving traffic at O'Hare was about half what it typically is, and the number of people moving through both O'Hare and Midway this week was expected to be 60 to 70 percent lower than last year.

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"There will be flashes where it looks extraordinarily crowded," he said. "And then for the next two, three, four hours, there’s nobody there."

The airports are using floor decals and public address announcements to remind travelers to wear masks and stay six feet apart.

However, O'Hare was touting Black Friday specials at airport stores on Twitter and urging travelers to visit flychicago.com/blackfriday for more information on deals.

Meanwhile in Illinois, Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike urging residents to stay home for Thanksgiving, with Pritzker saying Tuesday that it's not too late to cancel plans to travel.

Related:

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