U.S. Travel Warns of Thanksgiving Travel Chaos if Government Shutdown Continues

The U.S. Travel Association, joined by nearly 500 organizations and companies representing every sector of the travel industry, today sent a letter to congressional leadership urging immediate action to reopen the government ahead of the Thanksgiving travel rush.

Thousands of federal employees, including air traffic controllers and TSA officers, are working without pay, while travelers continue to face delays and cancellations.

“Air travel’s number one priority is safety and while safety will be maintained, travelers will pay a heavy and completely unnecessary price in terms of delays, cancelations and lost confidence in the air travel experience,” said Geoff Freeman, U.S. Travel Association President and CEO. 

The coalition’s letter underscores the critical role Thanksgiving travel plays in America’s economy. Last year alone, more than 20 million passengers took to the skies during Thanksgiving week, driving billions of dollars in spending and making it one of the busiest and most economically significant travel periods of the year. Beyond its importance as a time for family connection, Thanksgiving travel fuels billions of dollars in spending that sustain local economies—supporting jobs, small businesses and tax revenue in every state. 

“Thanksgiving should be about spending time with family, not worrying about flight disruptions or canceled plans,” Freeman added. “The damage from this shutdown is growing by the hour with 60% of Americans reconsidering their travel plans. Congress needs to do its job. The fastest way to restore confidence and restart travel is to reopen the government by passing a clean continuing resolution.”