The top U.S. airlines and airports improved upon their Thanksgiving on-time performance this year compared to 2022.According to the latest analysis from leading global travel data provider OAG, the on-time performance of major U.S. airlines improved by one percentage point over last year's holiday, reaching 85.7 percent.OAG examined the on-time performance of all airports and airlines on Thanksgiving Eve (November 22), which is one of the busiest travel days of the year. In 2023, airlines and airports overcame not only crowds but weather disruptions to improve upon last year.According to OAG, nearly 18,400 flights arrived on time—within 15 minutes of the scheduled time—among the major U.S. carriers on November 22. Two airlines—Delta Air Lines (91.5 percent) and United Airlines (90.5 percent)—even achieved over 90 percent on-time performance across their domestic networks.Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines also saw improvements over last year, with on-time performance rates of 89.4 percent and 89.3 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, fifth-ranked Southwest Airlines reported a dip from 88.5 percent in 2022 to 86.9 percent in 2023.American Airlines (84.4 percent), Allegiant Air (84.2 percent), Frontier Airlines (76.2 percent) and Breeze Airways (62.3 percent) all improved upon last year while Sun Country Airlines (84.8 percent), JetBlue (64.8 percent), Spirit Airlines (61.7 percent) and Cape Air (33 percent) all lost ground compared to Thanksgiving Eve 2022.
How a looming government shutdown could affect holiday travel
09.11.2023 - 15:31 / thepointsguy.com
Once again, the U.S. is at risk of shutting down unless Congress funds the government ahead of next week's looming deadline of Nov. 17.
The timing of a government shutdown would be particularly problematic, with one survey estimating nearly 117 million American adults will travel for Thanksgiving this year.
As of Wednesday, the Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives had not indicated a desire to fund the government through the end of the fiscal year via 12 appropriation bills nor through a continuing resolution beyond Nov. 17, per Reuters.
"A government shutdown could create complications at a peak travel period when travelers are counting on a system to perform without interruption or hassles," said Tori Emerson Barnes, EVP of Public Affairs and Policy at the U.S. Travel Association. "It further threatens to cost the travel economy up to $140 million each day or nearly a billion dollars a week in lost spending, which would be an unacceptable outcome for an avoidable situation."
If this happens, the federal government might fail to extend funding for certain government programs, potentially affecting travel to a national park, renewals of passports and Global Entry memberships, and more.
Here's what you need to know — and what you can do now to minimize impacts on your plans — if this occurs.
Trusted Traveler programs, such as TSA PreCheck and Global Entry, are operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection under the Department of Homeland Security. This means any pause in funding could curtail the ability to process applications.
As of November, current Global Entry application processing times are averaging four to six months per CBP; most TSA PreCheck applications are processed within three to five days when the government is operating normally.
Passport processing times have improved, with routine service expected within seven to 10 weeks (down from 10 to 13 weeks) and three to five weeks for expedited service (down from the previously quoted seven to nine weeks turnaround time).
Potential funding issues aside, we recommend applying for and renewing your Trusted Traveler program memberships and U.S. passports as soon as they are eligible for renewal. The process can take time, and many countries will not allow you to enter with less than three to six months of validity remaining.
Beyond application processing times, a government funding delay could result in a shortage of Transportation Security Administration agents at airports, potentially increasing wait times for both the regular TSA screening line and TSA PreCheck lines at certain airports.
During the 2018-2019 government shutdown — which lasted 35 days and was the longest in history — flights were canceled due to staffing shortages
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