AUSTIN (KXAN) – Austin-Bergstrom International Airport says the day trip after turkey is expected to last for nearly a week after Thanksgiving, a change from the usual two-day trip home after the holiday.
Elizabeth Ferrer, a public information officer at AUS, says this travel shock is caused in part by fliers having more access to remote work.
“Because of the options people have these days to telecommute, not everyone will necessarily fly on Sunday or Monday,” Ferrer said.
The popularity of telecommuting has expanded in recent years, according to a press release from the US Census Bureau in September.
The shared data shows that the number of American workers with the ability to work remotely or at home tripled from 9 million people in 2019 to 27.6 million people in 2021.
Despite the spread of travel days, Ferrer says Sunday and Monday are still expected to see the airport’s peak flights, which is on par with previous years.
Current forecasts, says Ferrer, expect the number of flyers to exceed 30,000. Ferrer says that despite the usual restrictions that come with holiday travel, the spread is likely to ease operations for airport employees and travelers.
“Thanksgiving travel is just going to increase it a little bit, but so far because it’s so spread out, it hasn’t been challenging for travelers — other than moving a little slower through the terminal,” Ferrer said.
She says passengers should arrive at the airport at least two hours before their flight to ensure they have enough time to check bags and go through security.
