Thanksgiving on the Rails: How Travelers Are Ditching Planes This Year

With the ongoing U.S. government shutdown throwing a wrench in air travel plans this Thanksgiving, many travelers are choosing the scenic route—literally. Bus and train rides are unexpectedly becoming the stars of the season, but this big shift comes with both perks and pitfalls for travelers and the travel industry alike.

Thanksgiving Travel, Reimagined

The ongoing federal government shutdown, which kicked off on October 1, 2025, is making its mark on this year's Thanksgiving rush. With flight cancellations and major delays up in the air, more people are swapping plane tickets for bus and train seats.

What’s Different This Year?

Sky-high Ground Travel: Bus and train bookings have jumped by 12% compared to last year. Busy suburbs near cities like St. Louis, NYC, and Washington, D.C. are especially seeing surges—some routes even up by as much as 30%!
Travel Companies Amping Up: Bus giants like Megabus and Flix, along with Amtrak, are seeing a huge rush. Amtrak is even rolling out extra capacity on popular Northeast routes just to keep up.

Not All Smooth Sailing…

Packed Platforms: All this extra demand means some bus and train rides could get a bit cramped. Overcrowding, delays, and tight schedules may be part of the new normal.
Rising Prices: With more people booking buses and trains, ticket prices might climb, especially around peak holiday travel days.

How This Ripples Through the Travel World

Hotels Feeling the Shift: More travelers sticking closer to home could mean traditional tourist hotspots see fewer guests, while quieter suburban hotels and local inns get a boost.
Local Tourism Perks Up: Areas just outside big cities might get a mini-travel boom, with local shops and attractions benefiting from all the extra foot traffic.

Looking Ahead

Even if Congress sorts things out mid-holiday, the travel industry doesn’t expect air travel to bounce back overnight. Alternative travel like buses and trains could stay popular, especially during the next few big travel seasons. This year’s scramble might just set new trends for how—and where—people travel for the holidays.

Note: This is an analysis of ongoing trends and opinions—not a forecast of guaranteed outcomes.