Nightmare Scenario for Thanksgiving Travel

The lines don't just start at the airport. Often, they start on the roads leading to the airport.

This Wednesday, traffic on roads and interstates leading to the airports will be twice what it usually is on an average Wednesday according to INRIX, which tracks travel and traffic backups nationwide. That's not counting the traffic nightmare Winter Storm Boreas is creating this week as it moves across the Plains, Midwest, South and Northeast with snow, ice and rain. By Wednesday, Boreas is expected to bring snow to the interior Northeast and soaking rains to the I-95 corridor in the East as well as throughout the South.

Weather not only affects when people travel. It also affects when travelers book their flights. INRIX says cities in milder climates have more traffic leaving airports in the afternoon. Cities in colder climates have more traffic headed to the airport in the morning.

“Cities like New York or Chicago, we tend to see the traffic building in those areas earlier on Thanksgiving Wednesday than in places like Las Vegas that are warm weather destinations,” says Jim Bak with INRIX. “The other thing we find near airports is where there’s more traffic there’s a higher likelihood of accidents. So if an accident happens on these routes, it’ll be even worse.”

(MORE: Worst Weather Airports 10 Worst Cities for Thanksgiving Traffic)

INRIX teamed up with weather.com to create this list of the 12 worst routes to the airport on Thanksgiving Wednesday. Regardless of the weather in your area, Bak says to add a minimum of 20 minutes to any trip to the airport this holiday.

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Houston Bush Airport

(Medioimages/Photodisc/Getty Images)

(MORE: Houston 5-day Forecast Airport Forecast)

Route: Downtown to Intercontinental Airport via US-59 NorthCongestion-free travel time: 19.5 minutesTravel time on Thanksgiving Wednesday: 49.7 minutes

This route is about 15 miles but it could take you close to an hour to traverse it on Thanksgiving Wednesday. If possible, avoid driving on this stretch of road between 4 and 6 p.m., which is the peak travel time.

Sea-Tac International

(Thinkstock/Getty Images)

(MORE: Seattle 5-day Forecast Airport Forecast)

Route: Downtown to Sea-Tac via I-5 S.Congestion-free travel time: 18.9 minutesTravel time on Thanksgiving Wednesday: 47.2 minutes

This route is a little less 15 miles but it could take you almost an hour to drive it. If possible, avoid driving on this stretch of road between 2 and 4 p.m., which is the peak travel time.

New York JFK

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(MORE: New York 5-day Forecast Airport Forecast)

Route: Hunters Point to JFK via Long Island Expwy E.Congestion-free travel time: 13.9 minutesTravel time on Thanksgiving Wednesday: 43.2 minutes

You can never go anywhere quickly in New York, but it’s worse than usual on Thanksgiving Wednesday. If you’re driving along the Long Island Expressway to JFK, be prepared for the 11.1-mile trip will take you almost 45 minutes. The worst time to drive on this road is between 4 and 6 p.m.

Chicago O’Hare

(Hisham Ibrahim/Getty Images)

(MORE: Chicago 5-day Forecast Airport Forecast)

Route: Downtown to O’Hare via Kennedy Exwy. W.Congestion-free travel time: 10.25 minutesTravel time on Thanksgiving Wednesday: 36.5 minutes

This 8.2-mile route will be at its traffic worst on Wednesday from 4-7 p.m.

Denver

(Michael Lewis/Getty Images)

(MORE: Denver 5-day Forecast Airport Forecast)

Route: Downtown to DIA via I-70 E. and Pena Blvd.Congestion-free travel time: 24.6 minutesTravel time on Thanksgiving Wednesday: 35.6 minutes

This route is just under 20 miles but it could over half an hour on Thanksgiving Wednesday. If possible, avoid driving on this stretch of road between 4 and 6 p.m., which is the peak travel time.

LAX – Los Angeles

(Scott Stulberg/Getty Images)

(MORE: Los Angeles 5-day Forecast Airport Forecast)

Route: Downtown to LAX via I-110 S.Congestion-free travel time: 21.6 minutesTravel time on Thanksgiving Wednesday: 34.6 minutes

Los Angelinos are early risers on Thanksgiving Wednesday. While most airports on this list see their busiest traffic in the late afternoons, roads around LAX are at their most congested during the 7-8 am. hour.

Dallas-Ft. Worth

(Carolyn Brown/Getty Images)

(MORE: Dallas 5-day Forecast Airport Forecast)

Route: Downtown to DFW via TX-183 W.

Congestion-free travel time: 17.4 minutes

Travel time on Thanksgiving Wednesday: 30.7 minutes

This route clocks in at just under 14 miles. While it usually takes 17 minutes to traverse, on Thanksgiving Wednesday it will take a little more than half an hour. The busiest time on this airport route will be between 3 and 5 p.m.

Miami

(Buena Vista Images/Getty Images)

(MORE: Miami 5-day Forecast Airport Forecast)

Route: Downtown to Miami Airport via Dolphin Exwy. W.

Congestion-free travel time: 5.4 minutes

Travel time on Thanksgiving Wednesday: 27.7 minutes

A drive that usually takes 5 minutes shouldn’t be too bad on the holiday, right? Think again. This is the shortest route on our list, measuring only 4.3 miles, but on Thanksgiving Wednesday it will take upwards of a half hour to travel. Factor in lots of spare time if you’re driving to the Miami airport.

Las Vegas

(Tom Brakefield/Thinkstock/Getty Images)

(MORE: Las Vegas 5-day Forecast Airport Forecast)

Route: The Strip to Airport via I-15 S.Congestion-free travel time: 10.1 minutesTravel time on Thanksgiving Wednesday: 20.2 minutes

Las Vegas is one of those warm weather getaways many people enjoy visiting over Thanksgiving, according to Jim Bak of INRIX.

“In cities like Las Vegas, which is a final destination for many people, congestion seems to be later in the afternoon.”

On Thanksgiving Wednesday, it will take you double the time it usually to travel the 8.2 mile stretch of I-15 between the Las Vegas Strip and the airport. This route is busiest between 3-5 p.m.

Phoenix

(Comstock/Thinkstock/Getty Images)

(MORE: Phoenix 5-day Forecast Airport Forecast)

Route: Phoenix to Sky Harbor Airport via I-10 E.Congestion-free travel time: 8.2 minutesTravel time on Thanksgiving Wednesday: 18 minutes

This 8.2-mile route is busiest between 3 - 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving Wednesday.

San Francisco

(Stockbyte/Thinkstock/Getty Images)

(MORE: San Francisco 5-day Forecast Airport Forecast)

Route: Downtown to San Francisco Airport via US-101 S.Congestion-free travel time: 11.6 minutesTravel time on Thanksgiving Wednesday: 13.7 minutes

The peak time for this road is between 3:30 and 5:30 p.m. Though it’s only 9.3 miles, expect to tack on a couple of extra minutes if you’re driving it on Thanksgiving Wednesday.

Atlanta

(Tetra Images/Getty Images)

(MORE: Atlanta 5-day Forecast Airport Forecast)

Route: Downtown to Hartsfield Atlanta Airport via I-75 S.Congestion-free travel time: 10.25 minutesTravel time on Thanksgiving Wednesday: 11.1 minutes

Hartsfield-Jackson Airport in Atlanta is commonly referred to as the world’s busiest airport, since it boasts the largest number of passengers through its gates every year. Getting to the airport can sometimes be just as hard. I-75 travels straight through the city and is routinely clogged. The peak time for this route on Thanksgiving Wednesday is between 5-6 p.m.

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