InsureMyTrip and Hopper Announce Busiest Airports This Thanksgiving

Based on data, travelers can make smarter choices about their travel plans and a travel insurance purchase.

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Nov 01, 2018, 17:04 ET

WARWICK, R.I., Nov. 1, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- In an effort to help empower travelers to make more informed decisions when it comes to Thanksgiving 2018 travel plans, Hopper and InsureMyTrip research teams reveal what airports and flights to avoid, the best time to buy, and how the latest data trends can aid travelers when comparing travel insurance benefits.

Summary
The data revealed the following trends for Thanksgiving 2018:

Busiest day to depart for Thanksgiving: Wednesday, November 21
Busiest day to return from Thanksgiving: Sunday, November 25
Top Busiest Airports & Times (local time):

Atlanta (ATL) - 8:00am
Los Angeles (LAX) - 7:00am
Chicago (ORD) - 6:00pm
Dallas (DFW) - 9:00am
Denver (DEN) - 10:00am
New York (JFK) - 6:00pm

The busiest day to depart for the Thanksgiving holiday this year is Wednesday, November 21, while the busiest day to return is Sunday, November 25.

This is the list of the busiest airports for Thanksgiving, based on total departing passengers and volume of scheduled departures:

Rank	Airport	City	Scheduled Outbound Passengers	Busiest Time (local time)
1	ATL	Atlanta	1,263,168	8:00 am
2	LAX	Los Angeles	1,074,752	7:00 am
3	ORD	Chicago	1,057,482	6:00 pm
4	DFW	Dallas	828,891	9:00 am
5	DEN	Denver	787,629	10:00 am
6	JFK	New York	781,953	6:00 pm
7	SFO	San Francisco	714,796	12:00 pm
8	CLT	Charlotte	614,779	8:00 am
9	MCO	Orlando	603,100	6:00 am
10	SEA	Seattle	590,938	6:00 am
11	LAS	Las Vegas	585,395	8:00 am
12	PHX	Phoenix	572,981	10:00 am
13	EWR	Newark	571,303	5:00 pm
14	IAH	Houston	551,436	5:00 pm
15	MIA	Miami	548,175	10:00 am
16	BOS	Boston	509,491	6:00 am
17	FLL	Fort Lauderdale	475,635	8:00 am
18	DTW	Detroit	426,725	7:00 am
19	MSP	Minneapolis	426,900	2:00 pm
20	LGA	New York	393,599	10:00 am
21	PHL	Philadelphia	384,000	7:00 am
22	BWI	Baltimore	365,379	7:00 am
23	DCA	Washington, D.C.	323,566	4:00 pm
24	SAN	San Diego	312,840	9:00 am

The busiest airports for Thanksgiving week, based on the volume of scheduled departures.

While the Thanksgiving travel period is a busy time of year, airlines are improving their on-time performance track records. Last year, airlines reported the lowest percentage of canceled flights, since at least 2009.

Year	Total Flights	On Time	Delayed	Canceled
2009	199,280	88%	12%	0.40%
2010	204,172	81%	18%	0.83%
2011	187,088	85%	14%	0.74%
2012	173,469	86%	13%	0.57%
2013	197,013	78%	21%	1.29%
2014	180,929	79%	20%	0.87%
2015	181,512	84%	15%	0.93%
2016	177,471	85%	15%	0.25%
2017	178,139	89%	11%	0.20%

Best Protection For Flight Delays

Based on these data results, travelers can make smarter choices about their travel plans and travel insurance purchases. For example, passengers with departing flights at busier airports are more likely to utilize a travel delay benefit and, therefore, may want to compare travel insurance policies with better delay protection.

"If travelers are made aware of the probability of delays, they can then use that data to help them compare travel delay benefits when considering a travel insurance purchase," says InsureMyTrip Intelligence Analyst Danny DeMello.

Travel delay benefits vary with each travel insurance provider, generally between a 5 and 12-hour window. The benefit is designed to provide reimbursement for reasonable meals and accommodations while unable to travel.

Tip: Travelers must be delayed for a certain number of hours before this benefit can be applied. When comparing travel insurance, look for the minimum delay time (typically, starting at 5 hours) to start qualifying for coverage as soon as possible.

Best Protection For Delayed Bags

Travelers may also want to ensure baggage delay coverage is included under a selected comprehensive travel insurance plan. Baggage delay coverage generally becomes active after belongings have been delayed for a specified period of time, typically 12 or 24 hours.

To schedule an interview with an expert or to request specific research data, please contact [email protected].

About InsureMyTrip

It's simple. InsureMyTrip finds you the right travel insurance plan, every time. InsureMyTrip is the authority on travel insurance. We are committed to empowering travelers to make the best possible insurance decisions by leveraging our technology, data intelligence, and expertise.

About Hopper

Hopper is the smart way to plan and book travel on your phone. Combining trillions of data points and powerful machine learning, the app saves users time, money, and anxiety in their quest to book the perfect trip. Hopper makes it possible to save money and travel more, predicting future prices for flights and accommodations with 95% recommendation accuracy, offering personalized tips, and notifying users about price drops and exclusive deals. Visit www.hopper.com for more information and to download the free app.

Related Links

http://www.insuremytrip.com

SOURCE InsureMyTrip