LAX Passenger Volume Surges 500% Today, Nov. 23, 2025, as Thanksgiving Air Travel Hits 15‑Year High

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is at the heart of a historic Thanksgiving travel wave today, Sunday, November 23, 2025. Alternative‑data platform Meyka reports a 500% jump in passenger volume at LAX for November 23 compared with its baseline measure, signaling an extraordinary spike in traffic just two days before the peak holiday window. ^[1]

The surge comes as:

LAX expects nearly 2.5 million guests between November 20 and December 1, with the busiest day projected to be Sunday, November 30, when more than 230,000 passengers could pass through its terminals. ^[2]
AAA forecasts around 81.8–82 million Americans traveling for Thanksgiving, the highest on record, with roughly 6 million flying and about 73 million hitting the roads. ^[3]
The TSA plans to screen more than 17.8 million air travelers from November 25 to December 2, including more than 3 million passengers on Sunday, November 30 alone — one of the busiest single days in agency history. ^[4]
The FAA expects more than 360,000 flights over the holiday period, calling it the busiest Thanksgiving travel period in 15 years. ^[5]
Nationwide today, more than 3,625 flight delays and 93 cancellations have already been reported, with LAX appearing among the airports seeing elevated delay rates. ^[6]

For passengers, that combination means crowded terminals, tighter flight schedules and a thinner margin for error if weather or operational issues creep in — especially at a mega‑hub like LAX.

What the 500% LAX passenger surge really means

According to Meyka’s traffic index, LAX’s passenger volume today is roughly five times its reference baseline — a dramatic increase that reflects both the Thanksgiving rush and travel’s multi‑year rebound from pandemic‑era lows. ^[7]

That relative 500% figure doesn’t mean LAX suddenly handled five times a normal pre‑Thanksgiving Sunday in absolute terms. Instead, it signals that:

Volumes are far above the depressed levels used as the baseline in Meyka’s model (which incorporates earlier pandemic‑era and low‑season data).
Passenger flows have snapped back so strongly that today’s traffic is several multiples of those trough periods.

Meanwhile, hard counts from Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), the airport operator, help frame the scale:

Around 2.5 million guests are expected to use LAX between November 20 and December 1, averaging just over 200,000 passengers per day. ^[8]
Sunday, November 30 is forecast as the single busiest day, with more than 230,000 passengers. ^[9]

LAX is predominantly an origin‑and‑destination (O&D) airport rather than a pure transfer hub, so most of those travelers are starting or ending their journeys in Southern California — contributing to packed roads, parking facilities and ride‑share queues around the airport.

Thanksgiving 2025: A record‑breaking travel season

The LAX surge is part of a much bigger national story.

Record numbers on the move

AAA projects about 81.8–82 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home for Thanksgiving this year, an all‑time high and about 1.6 million more travelers than in 2024. ^[10]
Roughly 6 million Americans are expected to fly, meaning around 7% of holiday trips will be by air, while nearly 73 million will drive — the seventh consecutive year of rising Thanksgiving travel in many states, including Texas. ^[11]

In Texas alone, AAA expects a record 5.8 million residents to travel, underscoring how widespread the demand surge is across the country. ^[12]

TSA, FAA and airlines brace for the rush

On the aviation side:

The TSA expects to screen more than 17.8 million travelers nationwide from Tuesday, November 25 through Tuesday, December 2, with more than 3 million passengers on Sunday, November 30 — a potential new record. ^[13]
The FAA forecasts over 360,000 flights during the Thanksgiving travel period, with Tuesday, November 25 highlighted as the peak day at more than 52,000 flights, the most in 15 years. ^[14]

Consumer apps and travel agencies underscore what that means for travelers. Fox Weather, citing data from booking platform Hopper, ranks LAX as the seventh‑busiest U.S. airport for Thanksgiving this year, behind hubs like Atlanta (ATL) and Chicago O’Hare (ORD) but ahead of airports such as Seattle‑Tacoma (SEA) and Las Vegas (LAS). ^[15]

Today’s operational reality: delays, cancellations and weather risk

Thousands of delays — and LAX is not immune

Fresh data published today by Travel And Tour World shows the U.S. system already under strain: more than 3,625 delays and 93 cancellations nationwide across major airlines including Alaska, Delta, JetBlue, Hawaiian and others. ^[16]

The same dataset highlights elevated disruption at key hubs:

Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW) and Newark (EWR) show some of the highest delay percentages.
LAX is flagged with about 20% of outbound flights delayed in the latest snapshot, plus a small number of cancellations, indicating the pressure on West Coast operations as well. ^[17]

With today’s 500% passenger‑volume spike at LAX layered on top of this system‑wide congestion, even small schedule hiccups can cause long lines, busy gate areas and missed connections.

Winter storms on the horizon

Weather is another wild card. A new CNN/ABC report warns that two winter storm systems could complicate Thanksgiving travel across parts of the U.S., particularly over Texas, the Southern Plains and up into the Upper Midwest, where rain may transition to snow in cities like Minneapolis. ^[18]

That same report reiterates the FAA’s view that this will be the busiest Thanksgiving travel period in 15 years, meaning even modest storms can have outsized ripple effects across the network. ^[19]

Capacity cuts and the lingering impact of the shutdown

Compounding the challenge, air traffic capacity is still feeling the effects of the recent federal government shutdown. In early November, the FAA ordered airlines to reduce flights at 40 major U.S. airports — including LAX — by up to 10%, ramping from a 4% cut on the first day to a potential 10% reduction if the shutdown persisted. ^[20]

Los Angeles‑area coverage documented hundreds of delays and dozens of cancellations at LAX in the days immediately following those cuts, even before today’s pre‑Thanksgiving volume spike. ^[21]

In short: more people, fewer scheduled flights, and a fragile system — a combination that makes today’s crowds at LAX particularly sensitive to any disruption.

Why LAX is at the center of the 2025 Thanksgiving rush

A top holiday destination, not just a connection point

AAA’s booking data places Anaheim/Los Angeles among the most popular U.S. Thanksgiving destinations, thanks to theme parks, mild weather and a dense calendar of events. ^[22]

Travel outlets also single out Los Angeles as one of the “ultimate” Thanksgiving getaways in 2025, highlighting coastal scenery, holiday parades and nearby escapes from Ontario to San Diego. ^[23]

Because LAX serves a huge share of originating and terminating traffic (people whose trip starts or ends in LA), it’s not just the skies that are congested:

Freeways like the 405, 105 and surface routes around Century Boulevard are busy with airport traffic.
Rental cars, ride‑share pickups and hotel shuttles cluster around the central terminal area.

Construction, roadwork and LAX live traffic

LAWA’s ground transportation alerts for the week of November 23 highlight continuing roadway construction around the airport’s access roads, plus a “Thanksgiving moratorium” aimed at limiting the most disruptive projects between November 21 and December 1. ^[24]

Even with that moratorium, travelers still face:

Temporary lane restrictions on key approaches like Century Boulevard and nearby ramps. ^[25]
Reconfigured pickup and drop‑off zones, especially at the LAX‑it lot for ride apps and some taxi services. ^[26]

That makes drive‑time and curbside congestion a serious part of the LAX experience today, independent of what’s happening in the air.

New long‑haul routes signal LAX’s growing global role

Beyond this week’s turmoil, LAX is also quietly cementing its status as a global super‑hub:

Royal Air Maroc has applied to launch nonstop Boeing 787 flights between Casablanca (CMN) and LAX starting June 2026, reconnecting Los Angeles directly with Africa. ^[27]
Aviation analysts note that, once that route launches, LAX will again offer nonstop passenger service to all six inhabited continents, joining a very small club of airports with that level of global connectivity. ^[28]

For today’s travelers, that doesn’t reduce the lines — but it does underscore why LAX is such a key chokepoint in the global system, especially when demand spikes.

What today’s surge tells us about the travel recovery

Taken together, today’s LAX numbers and the national data paint a clear picture:

Travel demand has not just recovered from the pandemic; it has surpassed previous records.
- AAA’s forecast, TSA’s screening projections and the FAA’s flight counts all point to new all‑time highs for Thanksgiving travel volume. ^[29]
Airports are operating closer to their limits.
- Government‑ordered capacity reductions, staffing constraints and infrastructure upgrades mean there is less slack in the system — so storms, mechanical issues or IT outages can create larger waves of disruption than in years past. ^[30]
Consumer confidence in flying is robust despite recent headaches.
- From Texas’ record road‑trip numbers to packed airports across the country, Americans are clearly willing to navigate long lines and higher fares to reunite with family or escape on holiday. ^[31]

For LAX specifically, the 500% passenger‑volume surge highlighted by Meyka is a high‑frequency signal of that same phenomenon: travelers are coming back in force, and they’re funneling through Los Angeles in extraordinary numbers. ^[32]

Survival guide: Flying through LAX this week

With record volumes and today’s spike as a warning shot, here are practical, evidence‑backed tips to navigate LAX over the coming days.

1. Time your airport arrival

Arrive early — at least 2 hours before domestic flights and 3 hours before international departures. LAWA and TSA both advise early arrival to account for longer security lines and potential roadway delays. ^[33]
Aim for the first flight of the day when possible. Data shared by Hopper and Fox Weather suggests flights departing after 9 a.m. are about twice as likely to be delayed as those leaving between 5 and 8 a.m. ^[34]

2. Beat the traffic to, from and around LAX

Check “LAX Live Traffic” before you leave. LAWA provides live traffic maps and estimated drive times from key access points like the 105 and 405. ^[35]
Use the Cell Phone Waiting Lot for pickups. This free lot near 96th Street helps keep cars out of the terminal loop until passengers are ready at the curb. ^[36]
Know your construction alerts. With roadway work still happening around LAX, even during the Thanksgiving moratorium, build extra buffer time into your trip. ^[37]

3. Streamline security and check‑in

Have valid ID ready. TSA reminds travelers to carry REAL ID‑compliant identification, passports or other accepted documents, and to keep them accessible at checkpoints. ^[38]
Enroll in TSA PreCheck or other trusted traveler programs if you can. These lanes can significantly shorten waits during peak holiday travel. ^[39]
Pack smart. Double‑check TSA’s list of permitted items to avoid bag searches that slow you — and everyone behind you — down. ^[40]

4. Prepare for possible delays or cancellations

Given today’s thousands of delays and the FAA’s projections, it’s wise to travel as if something might go wrong:

Opt for nonstop flights when possible. Each connection adds another potential failure point, especially when the system is already strained. ^[41]
Avoid very tight layovers. If a delay hits your first leg, a 35‑minute connection at a busy hub may evaporate.
Consider travel insurance, especially “cancel for any reason” policies if your plans are inflexible. ^[42]
Monitor your flight obsessively. Use airline apps, text alerts and the FAA’s National Airspace System status page to stay informed about gate changes, ground stops or flow restrictions. ^[43]

5. Remember the “civility” factor

The FAA has launched a new “Golden Age of Travel Starts with You” civility campaign after reporting a 400% increase in in‑flight outbursts since 2019. ^[44]

With crowds peaking and nerves fraying:

Give yourself enough time that you’re not sprinting through terminals.
Treat airline and airport staff as allies, not adversaries — they’re dealing with the same capacity crunch you are.
Model patience in front of kids and older family members; it helps set the tone for your whole group.

FAQs: LAX passenger volume today, November 23, 2025

Is LAX really seeing a 500% increase in passengers today?

Yes — Meyka’s alternative data shows LAX’s passenger volume on November 23 is about five times its baseline level, which appears to be pegged to earlier, low‑traffic periods rather than a typical pre‑Thanksgiving Sunday. ^[45]

In practical terms, that aligns with the airport’s expectation of roughly 200,000+ passengers per day across the 12‑day Thanksgiving window, with traffic ramping up as the week progresses. ^[46]

How many people are expected to pass through LAX this Thanksgiving?

LAWA projects nearly 2.5 million guests between November 20 and December 1, with Sunday, November 30 forecast as the single busiest day at over 230,000 travelers. ^[47]

Why is Thanksgiving 2025 so much busier than previous years?

Several factors are converging:

Record overall demand: AAA’s forecast of roughly 81.8–82 million U.S. travelers is the highest on record. ^[48]
Strong air‑travel appetite: TSA’s projected 17.8 million screened passengers for Thanksgiving week, plus multiple days above 3 million, mark some of the busiest air‑travel days in the agency’s history. ^[49]
Economic and cultural momentum: Pent‑up trip plans, relatively steady fuel prices and a cultural emphasis on in‑person gatherings are all pushing volumes higher. ^[50]

Are more delays likely at LAX over the next week?

Unfortunately, yes is a reasonable assumption:

Nationwide data already shows thousands of delays and dozens of cancellations today, with LAX posting some of the higher delay percentages among major airports. ^[51]
The FAA has ordered capacity reductions at 40 major airports, including LAX, which decreases operational flexibility when storms or staffing issues arise. ^[52]
Two forecast winter storms could further disrupt flights across key regions. ^[53]

Travelers should assume potential hiccups and plan accordingly.

What’s next for LAX after Thanksgiving?

The airport’s long‑term trajectory remains firmly upward:

New intercontinental routes, such as Royal Air Maroc’s planned Casablanca–LAX service starting in June 2026, will deepen LAX’s role as a truly global hub and put it back into the “six‑continent club.” ^[54]
Continuing infrastructure projects — from access roads to terminal upgrades — are aimed at handling precisely the kind of demand surge we’re seeing today, albeit with short‑term pain for drivers and guests. ^[55]

For now, though, the story of Sunday, November 23, 2025 is simple:
LAX is packed, U.S. air travel is shattering records, and the holiday rush has only just begun.

Busy Thanksgiving travel period at LAX begins