Your flight can land on time and still leave you late for Thanksgiving dinner. At JFK, the delay may come on the airport road. At LAX, an old terminal assignment could send you to a building that is closed. In the mountains, the hardest part of the trip may begin after you collect the rental car.

Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, November 26, 2026. If you are flying or driving for the holiday, these seven travel trouble spots deserve a closer look before you settle on a route or departure time.

Our Thanksgiving weather forecast for 2026 for November 23–26 favors regional rain and snow showers over a major nationwide storm. Terminal closures and highway construction can complicate travel even where skies stay clear.

Updated October 27, 2026. These selections reflect published construction plans, airport access changes and regional weather exposure. They are a planning watch list, not a ranking by predicted delay.

Thanksgiving travel trouble spots at a glance

Place or route	Main concern	Most useful adjustment
New York City and JFK	Airport road detours	Compare rail and AirTrain access
Los Angeles and LAX	Terminal 5 closure and curb restrictions	Confirm the current terminal and pickup point
Denver to the Colorado mountains	I-70 work zones and winter conditions	Leave flexibility for the mountain drive
Chicago O’Hare	Airfield construction and possible snow showers	Choose a connection with room for a delay
I-95 through Philadelphia and coastal Connecticut	Reconstruction and traffic shifts	Check each work zone along the route
Atlanta’s west side	I-285/I-20 interchange reconstruction	Compare routes using current traffic
Lake Tahoe approaches	Chain controls or closures if snow develops	Check the pass forecast and road status

1. New York City and JFK Airport

Watch for airport road detours and complicated pickups.

The final drive to JFK deserves its own place in your itinerary. The airport’s official 2026 advisory warns that its $19 billion redevelopment can mean delays, reroutes and closures within the airport roadway network. That affects taxis, rideshares and family pickups as well as people driving themselves.

The practical problem is timing: a flight arriving on schedule does not tell the person meeting you how long the trip out of the airport will take. Reconfirm the terminal and meeting point before anyone starts driving.

Plan around it: Compare the Long Island Rail Road or subway to Jamaica, followed by AirTrain JFK. This can take the airport road detours out of that portion of your journey. Check rail service and elevator status if you are traveling with luggage, a stroller or someone who needs step-free access.

For a family pickup or drop-off, JFK also recommends the free lot at the Lefferts Boulevard AirTrain station, where passengers can connect to the free AirTrain ride to the terminals. Check the airport’s current directions before choosing your meeting place.

2. Los Angeles and LAX

Watch for a closed terminal and restricted curb access.

LAX Terminal 5 is closed for construction, with reopening anticipated in 2028, according to the airport’s terminal guide. Anyone relying on an old airline listing or a previous trip should confirm the current check-in terminal directly with the airline.

There is a separate issue for drivers. LAX’s October 25–31 construction bulletin lists round-the-clock restrictions at Terminal 4 arrival and departure drop-off lanes through the fourth quarter of 2027. Those published dates extend well beyond Thanksgiving.

Plan around it: Set the destination in your navigation app to your airline’s current terminal. Before landing, work out where your ride will meet you and whether reaching it involves a walk or shuttle.

Compare LAX ground transportation options, including FlyAway service from Union Station or Van Nuys. A bus can simplify the pickup arrangement, but allow time for the airport road portion of the trip. Recheck the construction bulletin for the week you travel.

3. Denver to the Colorado mountains

Watch for I-70 construction before the higher mountain drive.

If Thanksgiving means heading from Denver toward Summit County or Vail, treat the airport arrival and mountain drive as two separate legs. A late landing leaves less room to deal with road delays or worsening conditions.

The I-70 Floyd Hill project covers the corridor from west of Evergreen to eastern Idaho Springs and is scheduled to continue through 2029. CDOT lists changing lane patterns, narrower lanes and shoulders, reduced speeds, ramp closures and periodic overnight detours among construction impacts.

CDOT says the major blasting operations that required daily traffic holds are complete, although occasional blasting may still be needed. Check the current work schedule before adding an old blasting delay to your travel estimate.

Our Thanksgiving outlook includes cold conditions in the Rockies and possible light snow at higher elevations. Check the mountain forecast separately from Denver’s.

Plan around it: Consult COtrip for closures and conditions, and review CDOT’s traction and chain requirements before collecting a rental car. Ask about the actual tires and permitted equipment on the vehicle you receive. If conditions deteriorate, leave room to postpone the mountain leg.

4. Chicago and connections through O’Hare

Watch for construction constraints and a connection with little room for a delay.

O’Hare deserves attention even if Chicago is only the airport between home and your destination. A short connection becomes less forgiving when the incoming flight runs late.

The FAA’s fourth-quarter 2026 construction report flags O’Hare’s Terminal Area Plan for reduced capacity and potential delays associated with taxiway closures and routing changes. It also lists a separate taxiway restriction scheduled through November 26.

Farmers’ Almanac’s outlook adds a weather reason to watch this region: colder conditions and scattered snow showers or flurries across the Great Lakes and Midwest.

Plan around it: When choosing flights, compare a nonstop with an itinerary that depends on a short O’Hare connection. If Chicago is your destination, consider the CTA Blue Line when it suits your lodging and luggage. From Terminal 5, reaching the Blue Line involves the Airport Transit System to Terminal 2 or 3.

5. I-95 through Philadelphia and coastal Connecticut

Watch for separate work zones along a long Northeast drive.

A trip through several states can encounter more than one construction zone. Drivers using I-95 around Philadelphia and West Haven, Connecticut, have two specific projects to check this year.

Northeast Philadelphia: PennDOT’s October 8 construction update describes northbound traffic shifted into the center of the work zone between Margaret Street and Carver Street near the Bridge Street Interchange. Northbound pavement removal and bridge work are among the activities planned for the remainder of 2026.

West Haven: The I-95 Interchange 43 project replaces bridges over First Avenue and the Metro-North Railroad. Its published fall 2026 stage moves southbound traffic to newly built right-hand lanes while reconstruction begins in the median; completion is scheduled for fall 2027.

Plan around it: Check 511PA and CTroads for the portions of the route you will actually use. A holiday pause in active work does not necessarily restore the usual lane layout. Compare a proposed bypass against live traffic before taking it; a different highway may add miles without saving time.

6. Atlanta’s west side

Watch for reconstruction at the I-285 and I-20 West Interchange.

Atlanta shows why a pleasant weather outlook does not settle the travel question. Drivers approaching from the west or using the western perimeter should check the I-285/I-20 West Interchange project before deciding how to cross the metro area.

Georgia DOT’s project fact sheet describes a reconstruction involving 19 bridges, ramp changes and additional lanes. Construction began in July 2025, with substantial completion anticipated in 2030. This is an ongoing work zone to account for when choosing a route.

Plan around it: Compare the western perimeter with other suitable routes using Georgia 511 close to departure. If you are catching a flight, allow separately for the drive, parking or rental-car return, and the trip into the terminal.

For airport trips that fit the rail network, MARTA’s Red and Gold lines serve the Domestic Terminal. International Terminal passengers should check the shuttle connection and allow time for that additional transfer.

7. Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada approaches

Watch for conditions on the mountain pass you will cross.

A forecast for Sacramento or the Bay Area does not describe the whole drive to Tahoe. Check conditions along I-80 over Donner Summit or US 50 over Echo Summit, depending on your destination and approach.

Our outlook includes Northern California rain and light mountain snow in parts of the interior West. Conditions at Tahoe’s passes will depend on the local forecast.

If snow develops, Caltrans chain controls may change the equipment you need or whether you can continue. Check the posted requirement for your vehicle, including an all-wheel-drive rental, and confirm the rental company’s equipment rules in advance.

Plan around it: Use Caltrans QuickMap for current closures, chain controls and incidents. Check the pass forecast as well as the forecast at your lodging. Caltrans recommends carrying water, food, warm blankets and extra clothing for winter mountain travel. Give yourself the option to wait out poor conditions.

Where the Thanksgiving weather outlook looks more favorable

For November 23–26, our outlook favors mild, pleasant weather across much of the Southeast, cool and mainly fair conditions in the Northeast, and mostly seasonable weather in the South Central states. Pacific Northwest travelers should prepare for periods of rain.

See the full regional Thanksgiving forecast and check a local forecast close to departure.

When to leave for Thanksgiving in 2026

The AAA and INRIX Thanksgiving traffic outlook for 2025 identified Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons, plus much of Sunday, as difficult driving periods. That historical pattern is a useful starting point for planning 2026; exact peak times will depend on this year’s traffic, weather and incidents.

• Tuesday, November 24, and Wednesday, November 25: Compare an early start with an after-work departure, especially if your route crosses a major metro area.
• Thursday, November 26: A morning trip may suit a nearby gathering. Allow enough time for an unexpected delay before dinner.
• Sunday, November 29: Give the return journey its own departure plan. Recheck the weather; the November 23–26 outlook does not cover Sunday.

Three checks before you leave

• Confirm the route all the way to the destination. Include the terminal, pickup area, parking shuttle and final drive.
• Check current alerts for both directions. Review airport notices, state road information and the National Weather Service. Save the relevant links before departure.
• Prepare for the season along your route. Our fall driving and weather safety guide covers hazards that can be easy to overlook during a holiday rush.

Which Thanksgiving route has tested your patience most? Tell us the airport or highway—and the planning tip you wish you had known.