Keep an eye on your Christmas flight: Here’s what flyers should expect this week

weather is likely going to be a big factor later this week, with record-cold temperatures and strong storms expected across much of the country.

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Which airports will be busiest for the holidays?

According to Hopper, these will be the busiest airports to fly through between now and the early days of 2023.

• Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
• Denver International Airport (DEN)
• Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
• Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
• Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport (LAS)
• Orlando International Airport (MCO)
• Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
• Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
• New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
• Miami International Airport (MIA)

Historically, many of these airports also tend to suffer a relatively high share of delayed flights around the holidays, according to a USA TODAY analysis.

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When will my airport be busy?

Different airports load their departures at different times, so lines will ebb and flow throughout the day. According to Hopper, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. is busiest at some airports, while 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. is the peak at others.

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Here’s what the data shows: 

â–º Busiest between 8 a.m. and noon

• ATL
• DEN
• DFW
• LAX
• LAS
• PHX

â–º Busiest between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.

• MCO
• ORD
• JFK
• MIA

No matter when you’re traveling it’s a good idea to leave yourself extra time to get to the airport and clear security, but especially if you’re traveling during your airport’s peak demand period, you won’t want to cut it too close. 

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Tips for holiday air travel

Hopper suggests that travelers should buy trip insurance, especially this time of year when weather can cause issues. 

Experts also say it’s a good idea to research alternatives in advance in case something does go wrong with the itinerary you originally booked. 

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And as always: pack your patience. The airports promise to be crowded this season, but if you leave yourself enough time and are friendly to those who are trying to help you along your journey, you won’t have as much reason to stress.

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