Nov. 25 – The Portland International Jetport expects a nearly 18% increase in travelers during the Thanksgiving holiday period compared to last year, while the Maine Turnpike Authority expects a 2.5% increase in the number of vehicles on Interstate 95.
From last Saturday through next Monday, Maine’s largest airport is preparing to handle 64,348 passengers, a 17.7% increase from 2023’s 54,636 passengers, according to airport director Paul Bradbury.
“We look forward to welcoming approximately 60,000 leisure travelers this week,” Bradbury said in a statement. “The Sunday after Thanksgiving is expected to be our busiest travel day of the season here in Portland, with approximately 7,000 passengers that day.”
The Transportation Security Administration expects Sunday to be one of the busiest holiday seasons nationwide, with the potential to break the record for busiest day with more than 3 million passengers.
Despite the expected increase, the number of travelers passing through the jetport on Sunday will pale in comparison to a peak summer travel day in August, when the jetport typically handles 12,000 to 13,000 passengers, Bradbury said.
Still, passengers traveling this week should arrive 90 minutes before scheduled departure and check flight information for possible delays and interruptions.
“This is the busiest travel week of the year nationally,” said Zach Sundquist, assistant airport director. “While traveling through the jetport should be fairly easy, the major hubs will all be quite busy.”
The jetport monitors a number of active weather systems across the country that could cause flight disruptions depending on the destination, he said.
In addition, workers at North Carolina’s Charlotte Douglas International Airport went on strike Monday to demand higher wages. The airport is a hub for American Airlines, which does not expect the 24-hour operation to cause significant flight disruptions.
On the Maine Turnpike, toll booth transactions are expected to increase 2.5% from Wednesday through Sunday, from 1,020,000 transactions in 2023 to 1,045,000 transactions this year, spokesperson Erin Courtney said in a statement. Tollgate transactions roughly measure how many vehicles are on the road.
The busiest travel day will be Wednesday, when transactions are expected to increase 9%, from 246,600 in 2023 to 269,000 this year, Courtney said.
“The Maine Turnpike Authority urges motorists to remain vigilant and patient,” Courtney said, noting that many motorists may be unfamiliar with the area’s roads.
Construction and maintenance activities will be halted during the winter months, but some areas may still see narrowed lanes and work zone speeds early in the week, she said.
And with bad weather forecast, she advised motorists to allow extra travel time, use headlights and respect posted speed limits.
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