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Winter travel is one of the busiest and most stressful times of the year. Between peak travel volumes, snowstorms, and everyone searching for the best deals, airports can become congested fast. Add in unpredictable schedules and family plans, and it’s no surprise that winter travel chaos makes headlines every year.
If you’re planning trips from November to early February understanding what causes these delays—and how services like the CLEAR+ and TSA PreCheck® bundle can make your airport experience faster and less stressful—can dramatically improve your travel experience.
Let’s break down what happens during the peak winter travel periods, why delays become so common, and how you can get ahead of the rush.
The winter season brings a perfect storm of conditions that can overwhelm airports and airlines. According to the FAA holiday travel guidance, millions of passengers fly during this short window, making it one of the most concentrated travel periods of the year.
Here are the biggest factors that contribute to peak-season congestion:
Every year, more people fly for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and post-New Year winter holidays. In December 2023, TSA reported screening up to 2.5 million passengers per day at U.S. airports during the winter travel season—an increase of about 6% compared to the previous year. More travelers mean longer lines at check-in, bag drop, security, and boarding.
Snow, ice, rain, and high winds routinely disrupt flight schedules. It’s common to see headlines like: “Severe weather disrupts post-holiday travel,” with widespread delays rippling across airports.
Winter weather is one of the most unpredictable elements of traveling late in the year in the Northern Hemisphere. A single storm can cause ground stops, flight cancellations, rerouted flights, and long security queues once operations resume.
As soon as travel deals drop—Black Friday, Cyber Monday, or early-season fare sales—more travelers book flights during the same peak windows. The demand often outpaces airport capacity, which increases wait times throughout the airport.
Interested in ideas for a December escape? Read this helpful CLEAR guide to winter travel destinations.
Many passengers only fly once or twice a year, since extended time off is usually limited to major holidays. This leads to busier TSA checkpoints, more bag repacking, and overflowing terminal areas.
Put all of this together, and traveling in winter becomes one of the most challenging times to navigate an airport.
Airline delays in winter aren’t just about the weather. Other causes include:
Even if your flight is on time, you still might face longer than usual lines before reaching your gate.
Travel pricing and availability can change quickly. Here are general winter travel holiday tips:
Book as early as possible, ideally six to eight weeks out.
Avoid the absolute peak days (typically the days immediately before Thanksgiving, Christmas, and upcoming holidays like Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, and Valentine’s Day).
Red-eye or early-morning flights are less likely to experience cascading weather delays.
Flying on the holiday itself can sometimes be cheaper and less crowded.
If your schedule is flexible, it’s worth monitoring across a few days to find the best combination of price and convenience.
While you can’t control the weather or crowds, you can take steps toward an improved airport security experience. That’s where the CLEAR+ TSA PreCheck® bundle can make a real difference—offering the fastest way to your gate.
With CLEAR+, you verify your identity using your face and go straight to the security screening area—no need to wait in the regular ID check line. This is incredibly valuable during the winter holiday season, when crowds often back up before security even begins.
With TSA PreCheck®, you get access to expedited security screening where you don’t need to remove your shoes, laptops, 3-1-1 liquids, belts, or light jackets.
This can save valuable minutes when airports are crowded with infrequent travelers, families with strollers, and passengers repacking bags in general screening.
CLEAR+ helps you get to security faster by streamlining ID verification, while TSA PreCheck® helps you get through security faster with expedited screening. That means fewer bottlenecks, less stress, and getting the fastest way to your gate.
You can get TSA PreCheck® for free* when bundled with CLEAR+. Major travel delays are stressful enough without worrying about whether you’ll be late for your flight.
During holidays, families often travel with gifts, extra bags, baby items, and winter clothing. With the CLEAR+ and TSA PreCheck® bundle, kids 17 and under can join you in both lanes for free.
Having an easier, more streamlined airport process makes the whole day more manageable.
Here are some simple ways to minimize stress when winter travel chaos picks up:
A little preparation goes a long way during the busiest periods.
With the CLEAR+ TSA PreCheck® bundle, you can get through security faster, reduce friction on peak travel days, and have a more predictable travel experience during one of the busiest times of the year.
Now’s the perfect time to enroll in the CLEAR+ TSA PreCheck® bundle to avoid unnecessary stress on your next winter getaway.
Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $20,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months.
Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
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