NEW YORK — Tens of millions of Americans returning home after the long Thanksgiving holiday weekend Sunday had cooperative weather and mostly efficient airport operations to thank for smooth traveling conditions.
Besides a winter storm that brought freezing rain and snow to the central Plains on Sunday night and into Monday, weather across much of the country is seasonably mild, said National Weather Service meteorologist Bruce Sullivan.
Most airports across the country ran with delays of 15 minutes or less, according to Federal Aviation Administration air traffic control system data.
Lobbying group Airlines for America estimated more than 25 million passengers would take to the sky on U.S. airlines during the 12 days surrounding Thanksgiving.
And the motoring group AAA estimated that nearly 47 million Americans were expected to travel at least 50 miles from home via car, plane or bus over the weekend — the highest number since 2007.
