WA Thanksgiving Travel: Busy Freeways, Crowded Flights & Ferries

SEATTLE — The first travel rush of the winter holidays is nearly here, and transportation officials across the region are preparing for volumes close to pre-pandemic levels on freeways, in the air, and over the water.

For Washingtonians with upcoming flights, the Port of Seattle expects passenger numbers at 95 percent of their 2019 levels for the holiday season, up 13 percent from last year. Over Thanksgiving week, the busiest day at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) is likely to be the Wednesday before the holiday, when an estimated 155,000 passengers will pass through the airport.

The second-busiest travel day will be Friday, Nov. 18, with 146,000 passengers, followed by the Saturday after Thanksgiving with 142,000 passengers. Typically the busiest travel days are Thursdays, Fridays, Sundays and Mondays. TSA checkpoints see peak volumes from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m., 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., and 9 p.m to 11 p.m.

Those heading out by car can expect the usual delays along Interstate 5, and over Snoqualmie and Stevens passes. The Washington State Department of Transportation has released its holiday travel charts for all three major routes, illustrating the busiest times to hit the road historically.

For I-5, northbound travelers will see heavier congestion as early as 5 a.m and lasting into the afternoon on the day before Thanksgiving. Traffic should be lighter on the holiday itself before afternoon congestion kicks up again through Sunday. For southbound trips, Sunday and Monday should be a little easier.

Travelers heading over Interstate 90 should expect heavier eastbound traffic the afternoon before Thanksgiving, with lighter volumes Thursday and Friday. Westbound trips should be relatively painless until congestion picks up on Saturday and Sunday. Drivers can sign up for text alerts about delats over the pass by texting "WSDOT Snoqualmie" to 468311.

Check out all of WSDOT's Thanksgiving travel charts here.

For toll roads, weekend rates will be in place for Thanksgiving on the State Route 520 bridge and State Route 99 tunnel. Express lanes on Interstate 405 will be free for all drivers on the holiday.

While the weather has trended drier in recent days, there's still plenty of time in the forecast for things to take a turn for wetter, snowier conditions. WSDOT urges drivers to plan ahead, make sure they follow posted chain requirements and hit the road with plenty of patience.

"This time of year, many people are eager to see their loved ones and often make long trips, sometimes on roads they aren't familiar with," said Barb Chamberlain, WSDOT's active transportation director. "When you increase your following distance and stop proactively for someone using a crosswalk or bike lane, you're helping someone else make it home to their loved ones."

On Washington State Ferries, people boarding with their vehicles should expect longer waits across the board. Officials expect peak wait times for most routes will be Wednesday, Nov. 23, and Thanksgiving for westbound trips and the following Friday and Saturday for eastbound routes. Travelers who do not need their vehicle to reach their destination can save time by riding as a walk-on passenger.