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These Are the Busiest Flight Routes During the Holiday Season

Oct. 25, 2018
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5 min read
U.S. Skies and Roads Busy Ahead Of Memorial Day Weekend
These Are the Busiest Flight Routes During the Holiday Season
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With packed planes, bad weather and tight timelines, the holiday travel season can be far from "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year."

Luckily, AirHelp released a new study that shows the most crowded and most disrupted flight routes within the US during the holiday travel season, so now you can book your flights accordingly and potentially salvage a little holiday cheer.

Thanksgiving

Although the best time to book Thanksgiving flights was a few weeks ago, if you are a procrastinator, you can still try to avoid these hectic routes. Data from last year that looked at the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, Nov. 21, 2017 to the following Monday revealed that more than 153,000 flights took off in the US alone. Here were the top 10 busiest routes:

  1. Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) → San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
  2. San Francisco International Airport (SFO) → Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
  3. New York LaGuardia Airport (LGA) → Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD)
  4. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) → New York LaGuardia Airport (LGA)
  5. Kahului Airport (OGG) → Honolulu International Airport (HNL)
  6. Honolulu International Airport (HNL) → Kahului Airport (OGG)
  7. New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) → Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
  8. Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) → New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
  9. Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) → Las Vegas McCarran International Airport (LAS)
  10. Las Vegas McCarran International Airport (LAS) → Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)

If you were planning on booking a flight on one of these high-traffic routes, you should also keep in mind that a majority of them were also in the running (or on the list) or the top 10 most disrupted flights:

  1. Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) → San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
  2. San Francisco International Airport (SFO) → Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
  3. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) → San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
  4. San Diego International Airport (SAN) → San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
  5. San Francisco International Airport (SFO) → San Diego International Airport (SAN)
  6. Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) → Orlando International Airport (MCO)
  7. San Francisco International Airport (SFO) → Las Vegas McCarran International Airport (LAS)
  8. San Francisco International Airport (SFO) → Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
  9. Las Vegas McCarran International Airport (LAS) → San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
  10. Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) → New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)

If you're looking to avoid delays (and why wouldn't you be?) AirHelp also found that flights that take place between 6am and 11:59am experienced the least disruptions overall.

Christmas/New Year's Eve

Easing into the peak of the holiday season, it's no coincidence that airplanes and airports tend to hit their highest capacity in December. Prices go up, space decreases and you'd better get to the airport at least two hours early or have your TSA pre-check ready. AirHelp's data analyzed the busiest travel days for Christmas week, between Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017, and Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018. Here are the top 10 most popular departure dates and locations from that week:

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  1. Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL): December 29
  2. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD): December 22
  3. Los Angeles International Airport (LAX): January 2
  4. Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW): January 2
  5. Denver International Airport (DEN): December 22
  6. Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT): December 27
  7. Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH): December 29
  8. San Francisco International Airport (SFO): December 22
  9. New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK): December 21
  10. Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR): December 22

And here are that week's most disrupted routes:

  1. New York LaGuardia Airport (LGA) → Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ)
  2. New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) → Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
  3. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) → Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ)
  4. Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) → Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ)
  5. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) → New York LaGuardia Airport (LGA)
  6. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) → Portland International Airport (PDX)
  7. San Francisco International Airport (SFO) → Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
  8. Boston Edward L. Logan International Airport (BOS) → Orlando International Airport (MCO)
  9. Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) → San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
  10. Boston Edward L. Logan International Airport (BOS) → Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ)

If it's too late for you, and you happen to be one of these high-traffic, frequently disrupted routes, here at 7 tips for surviving delays and cancellations at the airport. Keep in mind that it is also prime time to purchase a ticket for your Christmas and New Year's Eve travels. By booking about nine weeks in advance, you can save up to $260 that you could be spending on gifts for that someone special. Let's just hope that a disruption doesn't get in the way.

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Apply for American Express® Gold Card
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Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees
Best for dining at restaurants

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TPG Editor‘s Rating
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4XEarn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
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  • Intro Offer

    As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.

  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit

    Excellent to Good

Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.