3 Things I will Never Do Again While Traveling for Thanksgiving

It was the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, and I was feeling pretty smug about snagging a cheap flight home. What I hadn’t factored in was the unpredictable wrath of Mother Nature. A massive snowstorm decided to roll in, grounding all flights at my airport just as I arrived.

Panic set in. Hundreds of us were crammed into the terminal, scrolling through our phones in vain, hoping to rebook. The customer service line snaked around the airport like a never-ending rollercoaster queue. People were crying, arguing, and clutching their overpriced airport snacks like lifelines.

After six hours of waiting, I managed to book a flight for the next morning. But of course, the storm didn’t care about my plans—it extended its icy grip, cancelling that flight too. I ended up spending Thanksgiving at a greasy airport diner, eating a microwaved turkey sandwich while the staff tried to put up paper pilgrim decorations.

Lesson learned: Never underestimate November weather, and always have a backup plan.

2. The Overcrowded Train Nightmare 

Deciding to avoid the air travel chaos one year, I opted for the train instead. “It’ll be scenic and relaxing,” I thought. Oh, how wrong I was.

The train station was a madhouse. By the time I boarded, it was standing-room only, and I found myself wedged between a man juggling three toddlers and a woman with an actual pet turkey in a crate (I wish I were kidding).

The train ride was supposed to take four hours, but delays stretched it into seven. The toddlers took turns screaming and spilling snacks, and the pet turkey gobbled at regular intervals, adding an odd soundtrack to the chaos.

To make matters worse, my suitcase had been shoved into an overhead compartment by someone in a rush, and it fell out mid-ride, hitting me squarely on the shoulder. At that point, I couldn’t decide what hurt more—my bruised arm or my crushed spirit.

Lesson learned: Trains are not the escape hatch you think they are.

3. The Rental Car Fiasco 

One year, I thought I’d outsmart the system by renting a car and driving the six hours home. “It’ll be nice to have my own schedule,” I told myself. Famous last words.

The trouble began before I even hit the highway. The rental car company had overbooked, and I ended up with the last car available—a subcompact hatchback that felt more like a toy than a vehicle.

An hour into the drive, traffic came to a complete standstill. What was supposed to be a quick jaunt home turned into a 12-hour ordeal as I crawled along the highway, surrounded by irate drivers honking and gesturing wildly.

To top it off, my car’s air conditioning decided to quit halfway through, and the only radio station I could get was playing Christmas music on a loop. By the time I finally made it home, I looked like I’d aged 10 years, and my family didn’t even save me a piece of pie.

Lesson learned: Sometimes the long way isn’t the better way.

Final Thoughts 

Thanksgiving travel is a battlefield, and no matter how well you plan, something always seems to go sideways. Whether it’s snowstorms, overcrowded trains, or rental car mishaps, the journey can test your patience in ways you didn’t think possible.

But in hindsight, these disasters do make sense. They’ve taught me resilience, patience, and the importance of packing snacks. Most importantly, they’ve reminded me that Thanksgiving isn’t about where you are—it’s about who you’re with. Even if you’re stuck at an airport diner eating a sad turkey sandwich, there’s always something to be thankful for.

So, as you prepare for your own Thanksgiving travels this year, please take my advice: expect the unexpected, and pack an extra slice of humor in your carry-on. Trust me—you’ll need it.