Experts urge patience ahead of busy Thanksgiving holiday travel

CHICAGO (CBS) – It might sound hard to believe, but Thanksgiving is only a week away.

The American Automobile Association (AAA) said the holiday travel period will be the busiest in years, and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is expecting record crowds.

Here are a few tips and hacks to make your travel experience a little smoother.

Those traveling during the Thanksgiving holiday are advised to be patient. It is expected to be a record travel season in the sky and a busy one on the roads.

“The trend is that people are still traveling in very large volumes,” said Aixa Diaz, a spokeswoman for AAA.

AAA predicts that 55.4 million people will travel to their holiday destinations, including more than 49 million who will travel to their destination between the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Sunday after the holiday.

For those hitting the road, AAA said Wednesday afternoon is still the worst time to hit the roads. The organization recommends leaving on Thanksgiving Day.

“It shortens the amount of time you’re at your destination, but it also shortens the amount of time you’re in transit,” Diaz said.

The Sunday after Thanksgiving is also brutal, but not as busy as it could be.

“Hybrid schedules and remote schedules have changed everything because now people can leave for vacation travel at different times,” Diaz said.

For those taking to the skies, they should prepare for packed airports and possible delays and cancellations.

The TSA is preparing for a record number of airport passengers across the country on the Sunday after Thanksgiving.

So, what can travelers do to minimize chaos at the airport?

A travel expert said to avoid checking in a bag in case a flight is canceled and passengers are moved to a different flight. Passengers should also take public transport to the airport or book a parking space online as soon as possible.

Finally, travelers should allow plenty of time, be flexible and very patient.

“There’s always going to be a certain amount of cancellations that happen whenever we have bad weather,” said Scott Keys, founder of Going.com.

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