Southwest Joins American, Delta, United, Alaska, JetBlue, Allegiant and More Airlines Explore Rapid Growth as Thanksgiving Holiday Travel Week Starts, New Update for American Tourists

Published on November 26, 2025

By: Tuhin Sarkar

As Thanksgiving holiday travel week kicks off, Southwest Airlines joins major players like American, Delta, United, Alaska, JetBlue, Allegiant, and many more airlines exploring rapid growth. With millions of travellers preparing for their holiday trips, airlines are ramping up their capacity to meet the soaring demand. Southwest, along with other industry giants, is significantly increasing the number of seats available, ensuring passengers can take advantage of more flight options and flexibility.

Southwest, in particular, is enhancing its offerings to accommodate the surge in Thanksgiving travel, aiming to stay ahead of competitors like American, Delta, and United. Airlines such as JetBlue, Allegiant, and Alaska are also experiencing rapid growth, expanding their routes and services to cater to the high volume of travellers. This is the peak season for air travel, and these airlines are doing everything they can to meet the needs of customers. Rapid growth is not just a trend; it’s essential to keep up with the busy holiday season, which sees an uptick in both domestic and international flights.

As Thanksgiving 2025 approaches, the US aviation industry is witnessing significant growth in both domestic and international airline capacity. The US domestic market, in particular, is seeing remarkable expansion, with low-cost carriers (LCCs) leading the charge. Breeze Airways, for example, has increased its capacity by an impressive 34% compared to last year’s Thanksgiving week, while Southwest Airlines has added 200,000 more seats to its offerings. This growth is reflective of a more competitive landscape as airlines continue to expand their reach, offering passengers more options for travel this holiday season.

While LCCs like Breeze, JetBlue, Allegiant, and Frontier are showing confidence with increased capacity, major legacy airlines are being more cautious. Despite the rise in domestic flights, international airline capacity has seen modest increases, with a few key players leading the charge.

The Thanksgiving holiday travel period, running from November 21 to December 1, is set to kick off this Friday, and U.S. airlines are bracing for a record-breaking season. According to Airlines for America (A4A), more than 31 million passengers are expected to fly during this busy holiday period, marking an all-time high for air travel in the U.S.

To accommodate the surge in travelers, U.S. airlines will offer approximately 45,000 additional seats daily compared to 2024, bringing the total number of seats available to meet the demand. On average, airlines are projected to carry 2.8 million passengers per day during the Thanksgiving travel window.

The busiest days of the holiday are expected to be Sunday, November 30, and Monday, December 1, when travel peaks as people head home after the holiday weekend. With record passenger numbers and heightened demand, airlines are increasing capacity and optimizing schedules to ensure smooth operations during this hectic travel period. The continued growth in air travel reflects the strong resilience of the aviation industry and its ability to meet the demands of the holiday season.

United Airlines stands out with a 9% increase in capacity to overseas destinations, adding approximately 37,000 seats. However, some international airlines are facing challenges, including reductions in capacity from carriers like Air Canada and WestJet. As we head into the holiday season, the focus now shifts to operational reliability and the hope that weather disruptions will not derail the high expectations for travel.

Thanksgiving 2025 Airline Capacity Insights: Domestic and International Growth Trends

According to the latest analysis from the UK-based global aviation data platform, OAG, Thanksgiving 2025 will see 20.3 million domestic seats available in the United States, up from 20 million last year. This slight increase reflects growing confidence in the U.S. airline industry as it braces for one of the busiest travel periods of the year. Several airlines are ramping up their operations this holiday season, with low-cost carriers (LCCs) leading the charge in expanding capacity.

Breeze Airways Leads Domestic Capacity Growth

Breeze Airways, a low-cost carrier that has gained considerable momentum in recent years, is showing the most significant growth in domestic capacity. Compared to last year’s Thanksgiving week, the airline is increasing its available seats by an impressive 34%. This sharp rise demonstrates Breeze’s aggressive strategy to capture a larger share of the U.S. domestic market, providing more affordable travel options for passengers. Meanwhile, Southwest Airlines, a dominant force in U.S. domestic air travel, is increasing its capacity by 200,000 seats compared to last year, further cementing its leadership in the market.

Low-Cost Carriers: A Growing Trend

Low-cost carriers are aggressively expanding their operations this Thanksgiving. JetBlue, Allegiant, and Frontier are all increasing their capacity by over 5%, intensifying competition in the U.S. domestic market. This surge from LCCs signals strong demand for budget-friendly travel options, especially as travelers seek affordable flights during peak holiday periods. The increased competition among these airlines benefits consumers, offering them more choices and lower fares, while also increasing overall capacity for the busy Thanksgiving week.

International Capacity Growth: Mexico and Canada Lead

While domestic travel is seeing robust growth, international travel remains strong, with a particular emphasis on destinations in Latin America. Mexico continues to be the largest overseas market for U.S. travelers during Thanksgiving, with over half a million seats scheduled for the week. This represents a modest increase of 7,000 seats compared to last year, reinforcing Mexico’s popularity as a travel destination due to its proximity and diverse appeal.

In contrast, capacity to Canada has decreased, with Air Canada and WestJet reducing their offerings. This reduction has led to the loss of nearly 27,000 seats on routes to Canada. Despite this, United Airlines is bucking the trend, operating 10% more capacity to Canada than last year, demonstrating the airline’s commitment to maintaining and expanding its presence in the North American market.

The UK: Slight Decline in Capacity

The United Kingdom holds its position as the third-largest international market for U.S. travelers, though capacity has fallen by nearly 7,000 seats compared to the previous year. This decline is primarily due to reductions by carriers such as British Airways and American Airlines, reflecting a more cautious approach from some legacy airlines in the transatlantic market. Although the U.K. remains a key international destination, these reductions indicate the challenges faced by airlines in this market, including fluctuating demand and increasing operational costs.

Domestic Airline Capacity Growth: Low-Cost Carriers Take the Lead

The US domestic market is seeing impressive growth, particularly from low-cost carriers (LCCs) like Breeze Airways, JetBlue, Allegiant, and Frontier. These airlines are adding more seats as competition in the market intensifies. Breeze Airways, for instance, is increasing its capacity by 34% compared to last Thanksgiving week. This expansion reflects the growing demand for affordable, convenient travel options during peak holiday periods. Southwest Airlines is also contributing to the growth, with an additional 200,000 seats scheduled for sale this year.

LCCs are clearly bullish on the market, with many of them expanding their networks to include more routes and destinations. The increased capacity from these airlines provides more travel options for passengers, catering to the growing demand for domestic air travel. This is particularly important during the Thanksgiving period when demand for flights typically surges. The competition between airlines is expected to benefit passengers, offering them more choices, better prices, and a more dynamic travel experience.

International Airline Capacity Growth for Thanksgiving 2025

While US domestic airline capacity is growing at an impressive rate, the international market is seeing more modest increases. Overall, capacity to international destinations is up by just 2% compared to last year’s Thanksgiving period. Despite this, there is notable growth from specific airlines, particularly those serving Latin American routes. United Airlines is leading the way, adding 37,000 seats, representing a 9% year-on-year increase in capacity for international flights.

The US-Latin America market continues to see strong demand, with airlines like Avianca and Volaris increasing their capacity significantly. Avianca has added 9,000 seats, reflecting a 19% growth, while Volaris has increased its capacity by 9%, adding an additional 7,400 seats. These growth figures highlight the ongoing strength of travel to and from Latin American destinations, driven by both leisure and business demand.

Capacity Reductions from Canadian Airlines: Challenges for the Market

In contrast to the growth seen in other international markets, Canadian airlines are facing challenges. Both Air Canada and WestJet have reduced their capacity to the US by significant margins. Air Canada has decreased its Thanksgiving week capacity by around 11%, while WestJet is cutting back by 12%. These reductions reflect the pressures faced by Canadian carriers in the current market environment, which has been impacted by a variety of factors including economic conditions and fluctuating demand.

Despite these reductions, United Airlines has continued to expand its offerings to Canada, increasing its capacity by 10% compared to last year. This strategic growth in the Canada-US market underscores United’s commitment to maintaining a strong presence on these routes, even as other carriers scale back. The capacity reductions by Air Canada and WestJet have resulted in a loss of nearly 27,000 seats to Canada, but this has not completely offset the increase in capacity from other airlines.

Mexico Remains the Largest International Market for Thanksgiving

When it comes to international travel over the Thanksgiving period, Mexico continues to dominate as the largest market. With over half a million seats scheduled for the week, Mexico remains a top destination for US travellers. This year, there has been an increase of 7,000 seats compared to the previous year, reflecting the strong and consistent demand for travel between the US and Mexico.

The popularity of Mexico as a destination is driven by factors such as proximity, affordability, and the diversity of experiences available. From beach resorts to cultural and historical sites, Mexico offers a range of travel experiences that continue to attract US travellers, particularly during peak holiday periods like Thanksgiving.

The UK and Other International Markets: Slight Reductions in Capacity

The United Kingdom remains the third-largest international market for Thanksgiving travel, although capacity from carriers like British Airways and American Airlines has decreased. This has led to a reduction of nearly 7,000 seats to the UK compared to last year. The drop in capacity reflects some of the challenges faced by airlines in the transatlantic market, including higher operational costs and fluctuating demand.

While the UK market is still significant, other international destinations are seeing varying levels of growth. The overall international capacity increase of 2% indicates that airlines are maintaining steady growth despite the challenges. The international airline landscape for Thanksgiving 2025 is a mix of growth in certain regions, such as Latin America, and reductions in others, such as Canada and the UK.

Operational Reliability: The Key to a Successful Thanksgiving Travel Season

With the surge in airline capacity, the final concern for the industry is ensuring operational reliability. Airlines are preparing for one of the busiest travel periods of the year, and the hope is that operations will run smoothly without any major disruptions. Weather conditions, however, remain a key variable that could impact flight schedules, particularly in regions prone to winter storms.

As the US Thanksgiving holiday approaches, airlines are focusing on improving their operational performance, ensuring that flights are punctual and that passengers experience minimal delays. With the added capacity and the expected increase in demand, airlines are working hard to ensure a smooth travel experience for all passengers.

John Grant, Chief Analyst at OAG, said:” We’re seeing unmistakable momentum in some parts of the U.S. market this Thanksgiving. The growth from low-cost carriers, paired with resilient international demand, underscores travelers’ appetite for affordable and flexible options. With overall capacity trending close to last year, albeit with targeted increases and reductions among individual carriers, the key variable now is operational reliability”.