Before gathering around the table, an estimated 5.2 million travelers will board Delta Air Lines flights across the globe this week, making this year’s Thanksgiving travel period the busiest on record.
Meteorologists in the Operations & Customer Center are keeping a close eye on a winter storm system making its way west across the Rockies into the Midwest, bringing several inches of snow and gusty winds to the region. Due to the anticipated forecast, the airline proactively issued weather waivers for Denver, Tuesday, and Minneapolis, Wednesday.
Teams across the airline are also prepped and ready for the holiday rush on more than 470 additional flights scheduled compared to last year. From the OCC to the ramp, through the terminals and up in the air, Delta people will connect more customers to loved ones than ever before.
“Families and friends across the globe count on us to connect them to what matters most this time of year,” said Gil West, Delta’s Chief Operating Officer. “There’s no team better suited for the task than Delta people, who continue to raise the bar for operational excellence and unmatched customer service for the millions we’ll see this Thanksgiving week.”
This Sunday will see the highest volume, with more than 690,000 customers taking to the skies to journey home across 6,130 Delta flights. To compare, this is more than an average summer peak travel day, but just shy of 2019’s busiest day, Aug. 5, with 6,196 flights.
Delta forecasts a 2% increase – equaling more than 100,000 customers – from last year’s Thanksgiving week, and totaling an approximate 5.2 million between Sunday, Nov. 24, and Wednesday, Dec. 3. An increase of fliers year over year means that more and more customers continue to trust Delta people with their holiday travel.
