After weeks of uncertainty about air travel due to the federal government shutdown, major travel services and airport operations are now reopened. Air travel restrictions were officially lifted earlier this week, restoring normal activity across major hubs just as roughly 6 million Americans prepare to hit the skies for Thanksgiving.
Travel host and seasoned globetrotter Samantha Brown, who flew the morning services reopened, says travelers can breathe a sigh of relief. “Luckily, I didn’t have to travel during the shutdown,” she tells Katie Couric Media. “But I flew the morning the restrictions dropped, and everything was already very easy to get through.”
Brown shares that the shutdown mainly caused concern for regional airports and was especially stressful for people traveling for milestone moments, like weddings, family reunions, and other one-time events that can’t easily be rescheduled. “It really showed how important it is to keep the airports running and air traffic controllers supported, happy, and paid,” Brown says. “One ‘small’ disruption in that system isn’t small at all.”
Now that restrictions have lifted and holiday travel ramps up, Brown shares her top four strategies for navigating one of the busiest flying weeks of the year.
1. Plan for crowds, especially on Sundays
According to Brown, the stretch from Thanksgiving through Christmas mirrors the peak summer travel period. Sundays, in particular, are “extremely busy,” she says, as airports fill with children, grandparents, and less frequent flyers.
Her biggest piece of advice? “Ninety-five percent of travel stress disappears if you simply allow enough time.”
Regardless of the destination, Brown arrives two hours before the boarding time, not the departure time, and recommends travelers do the same. She also warns against arriving at the gate the minute boarding begins — she suggests being there at least 15 minutes before. No one wants to be the last person to find out about a gate change that requires a tram ride and a 20-minute walk.
2. Prepare for long waits
“This time of year, you should expect lines everywhere: at check-in, security, food vendors, even the bathrooms,” Brown says. To control what you can, she recommends checking in through your airline’s app before you even reach the airport and, if possible, traveling with only a carry-on. “It gives you a superpower others don’t have,” she adds. Bringing your own snacks can also help you avoid long waits for overpriced breakfast sandwiches and pretzels. And if you’re eligible and already have TSA PreCheck, opting in to digital ID can speed up your trip even more. Many airlines now offer dedicated digital-ID lanes that move as quickly as Clear — without the added cost.
3. Study your airport before you arrive
There’s nothing worse than hustling to your gate, thinking you’ll grab a coffee or refill your water bottle on the way, only to discover you’ve wandered into a terminal dead end with zero merchants in sight. It’s the kind of travel moment that instantly raises your blood pressure — and it’s exactly why Brown suggests doing something most of us never think to do: Check your airport’s website before you leave home.
Studying an airport directory might “sound silly,” Brown says, but knowing what your terminal offers is worth it — especially if you have specific needs. “Some airports have dedicated family lanes at security, for example, and they may only be in one terminal. Knowing what you’ll find and where beforehand saves so much time and stress.”
A quick scroll through your airport’s site can reveal surprisingly helpful details — which TSA checkpoints are shorter, which terminals actually have decent food options, where the water bottle filling stations are hiding, and even whether the usual route to your terminal is under construction.
It’s no YouTube binge, but five minutes of research can mean the difference between gliding to your gate and sprinting through the airport, juggling a tiny $9 muffin and having to hold your bathroom needs until you get on the plane.
4. Plan for flight delays and cancellations before they happen
Brown encourages taking five minutes the day you’re traveling to prepare for a worst-case scenario. “Ask yourself: What if my flight is canceled or delayed so much that I can’t get where I need to go?” she says.
Her strategy:
- Look up two to four flights leaving after yours that are heading to the same destination.
- Write down flight numbers and departure times. (This helps when your panicked brain blanks.)
- Download the airline’s app to rebook instantly if your flight is canceled.
- Rely on secondary apps like Flighty or FlightAware for faster alerts — sometimes even before the airline notifies passengers.
“The goal is to know about a disruption and act before the 200 other people in your exact situation,” she says. And one more power move: Track the incoming aircraft. If your plane runs three hours late in another city, you’ll know before anyone makes the announcement.
From real-time aircraft tracking to advanced notifications and mobile rebooking tools, Brown says travelers now have more ways than ever to make smart, fast decisions. “You can basically see into the future,” she says. “We have so much information at our fingertips now. Use it.”
Brown’s overall message is clear: The shutdown won’t affect Thanksgiving travel, but the holiday crowds absolutely will. With more people in airports than ever, the travelers who give themselves enough time, use the right tools, and plan for disruption will experience the least turbulence.
