Who's Busy on Turkey Day?

Orbitz Reveals the Busiest Airports for Thanksgiving

Reports are showing that despite the down economy travelers are still flying. Orbitz released the Insider Index of the busiest airports for Thanksgiving. They also released information on time-saving tips for those of us navigating our way through a bustling airport during the holiday season.

The Insider Index reviewed the top 50 U.S. airports based on flight bookings, identifying which will be the most and least busy the week of Thanksgiving.

Chicago O'Hare International takes the honor of the busiest airport this Thanksgiving. Rounding out the top three are Los Angeles and Denver international airports. New York-area airports occupy three of the 10 spots on the list, which makes the Big Apple a hot spot for Thanksgiving travelers.

1 Chicago, IL - Chicago O'Hare International

2 Los Angeles, CA - Los Angeles International

3 Denver, CO - Denver International

4 San Francisco, CA - San Francisco International

5 Atlanta, GA - Atlanta Hartsfield International

6 Boston, MA - Boston Logan International

7 New York, NY - New York LaGuardia

8 New York, NY - New York John F. Kennedy International

9 Newark, NJ - Newark Liberty International

10 Seattle, WA - Seattle Tacoma International

In reviewing what was the busiest airport during the Thanksgiving holiday, Orbitz also reveals the least busy airports. Orbitz reports that these airports may see a lift in traffic but overall will be easier for travelers to make their way through the airport.

1 San Jose, CA - San Jose International

2 Nashville, TN - Nashville International

3 Richmond, VA - Richmond International

4 Sacramento, CA - Sacramento International

5 Jacksonville, FL - Jacksonville International

6 West Palm Beach, FL - Palm Beach International

7 Hartford, CT - Bradley International

8 Orange County, CA - John Wayne International

9 Cincinnati, OH - Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International

10 Fort Myers, FL - Southwest Florida Regional

Orbitz Insider's Top Five Tips to Save You Time at the Airport this Holiday

Choose Alternate airports: If you haven't booked your Thanksgiving travel -- or if your're looking ahead to Christmas or New Year's -- consider using alternative smaller airports.

Flexibility is key: If your travel plans are flexible, investigate flying on days that Orbitz predicts will be less busy during the Thanksgiving period. The best bet would be to depart on Nov. 23, 2009 and return on Nov. 30, 2009

Online check-in is your friend: Where possible take advantage of online check-in and print boarding passes before arriving at the airport.

Know your flight status: Always check the status of your flight before leaving for the airport.

Security smarts: Keep anything you need to show airport security such as ID, boarding passes, liquids in a zip-top bag, or medication, in a separate compartment of your carry-on bag.