If you're flying for Thanksgiving, brace yourself.
Beginning today, the busiest period for holiday air travel will be busier than ever, with a record 27 million passengers, up 4% from last year, jamming airports and stuffing planes over a 12-day period.
And once aboard, there won't be much elbow room: In another record, most planes will be more than 90% full, meaning most flights will take off with all seats occupied.
For the year, passenger loads on flights have averaged 80% of capacity.
Toss a major winter storm or two into the mix, and Thanksgiving travel could make difficulties of flying last summer -- considered the worst on record for delays -- mild by comparison.
Forecasts are for storms in Chicago and Dallas, two of the nation's largest airport hubs, on Wednesday, the busiest day for Thanksgiving travel.
"It's going to be pretty crazy this year," said Amy Ziff, editor-at-large for Travelocity.
There is some relief in sight. The White House said Thursday that the Federal Aviation Administration would work with the Defense Department to let some commercial jets fly through normally restricted military airspace, which could help reduce delays caused by weather or holiday congestion.
Also, travel during Christmas isn't expected to be as crowded because the holiday period is spread out over more days and because many travelers combine New Year's Day into the their vacation plans. The busiest holiday travel period after Thanksgiving is Easter, followed by Christmas.
But more flights during Christmas are sold out, said Chris McGinnis, editor of Expedia Travel Trendwatch.
"There are still some deals if you are willing to travel on off days, such as Christmas Eve or on Christmas. But that's about all that's left. You'd be lucky if you get a deal on any other day," McGinnis said.
Airports in Southern California are no exception this Thanksgiving, with the largest number of travelers in years expected.
Overall, travel for the Thanksgiving period dropped in 2001 after the terrorist attacks and again in 2005 before increasing slightly in 2006.
"I'm ready for it," said Joe Hall, a Long Beach resident who will be flying to Melbourne, Fla., on Thanksgiving Day, just in time to have dinner with his children, who are 8 and 13.
Hall, an executive at a Cypress defense contractor who flies frequently for business, said he already had reserved a parking spot at a hotel near Los Angeles International Airport to help deal with the expected congestion.
