More Hassle, Fewer Flights This Holiday Season Fewer flights will be in the sky this holiday season.

Oct. 19, 2008  -- Longer lines, higher prices and fewer route options await airline travelers this holiday season as carriers cut back on flights.

According to a USA Today analysis, 11 percent fewer flights will be available this Thanksgiving compared to last year. That translates to 2.6 million fewer nonstop seats on domestic routes from the Thursday before Turkey Day until the Sunday after the holiday.

"Because of the extraordinary jet fuel prices that airlines saw earlier this year, they have cut 3,000 flights a day during this upcoming Thanksgiving travel season," said USA Today airline reporter Marilyn Adams.

And after two previous winters of havoc at the nation's airports, thanks to the shrinkage of flights, the margin of error will be even thinner this year.

"It means that there is any glitch in your trips such as snow storm or a flight delay or a cancellation or you are bumped from your flight it will be harder to get to where you are going," Adams said.

The cuts are happening across the country with dramatic decreases at Chicago's O'Hare, Houston, Dallas and Fort Worth airports.

If you want to fly from Charlotte, N.C., to New York City, there will be only half as many flights this year. US Airways has cut 40 percent of its Thanksgiving Day flights.

"Sounds terrible and kind of frightening, but what you have to remember there is a lot of those flights were pulled out because they were not profitable routes. That basically means they were flying nearly empty for the airlines it just didn't make sense to fly them," said Amy Ziff, Travelocity editor-at-large.

The changes come despite an early holiday gift for carries — lower oil prices.

"Oil prices, crude oil prices are heading down, but the airlines had to make decisions months ago when jet fuel prices," Adams said.

Travel experts recommend planning your trip as soon as possible and not booking the last flight of the day in case of cancellations. Getting to the airport early, allowing enough time to connect, packing light and avoiding checking a bag could make your travels easier, too.