O’Hare one of worst airports for wait times ahead of Thanksgiving travel

Chicago’s O’Hare Airport is one of the toughest for waiting in long lines, according to a study of the nation’s biggest airports. Motorists dealing with Illinois’ second-highest gas taxes won’t fare much better hitting the road.

Thanksgiving travel will be record-setting in 2024, according to travel estimates from AAA.

For those flying, Chicago’s O’Hare Airport is one of the worst airports for waiting in line.

O’Hare ranked 6th for average time getting through security at 47 minutes during Thanksgiving travel based on a study among the nation’s biggest airports from Jettly.

Similarly, Midway Airport ranked 9th for most frequent delayed flights, with 17% facing some delay during Thanksgiving travel last year.

But nearly 90% of all Thanksgiving travel will be by car. Motorists in Illinois struggle with the second-highest gas taxes in the nation, which pushes Illinois to the top 10 states for most expensive gas and the highest in the Midwest.

Gas taxes are a $2 billion a year moneymaker for state lawmakers, up from $1.35 billion in 2019 when Gov. J.B. Pritzker and lawmakers doubled the gas tax and added annual automatic hikes.

If you’re traveling outside Illinois, it would be wise to wait until you cross the state line if you need to refill your tank. Even if you’re driving within Illinois, take note of high gas prices, especially in Cook County.

The Sunday after Thanksgiving around 3:45 p.m. will be the worst time to drive in traffic for the Chicago Metropolitan Area.